Building a Branded Culture (part 2 of 4)

do you have a clue about your culture?

Kevin and Jackie Freiberg

 

In our last blog (Branded Culture Part 1), we built a business case for CULTURE as one of the most powerful levers you have in creating organizational vitality. Culture is ultimately manifested in the rites, rituals, and traditions of the organization as well as the values, attitudes, and behaviors of its people. Your view of whether or not the espoused values are being lived out loud and whether people are bringing the right attitudes and behaviors to the game often depends on where you sit.  Do you really know your culture? In order to transform it into what you envision you have to have a firm grasp on where it is currently. Here are 12 questions to help you get started; my bet is that you will come up with more of your own:

1. Is your organization extremely rigorous about finding talent that can make capital dance? Does it do a great job of investing in people re-recruiting people who are indispensable? 
2. Do people in your organization really care about the future? Are they proud of where they work and what they do? 
3. Is everyone in your business working on things that matter or are they doing things— that five years from today—no one will ever care about? 
4. Do people in your organization have a voice? Are they encouraged to speak up and tell it like it is or do they feel like no one listens?? Is okay to challenge and question broken systems and outdated rules? Do they truly believe their ideas are valued or do they feel ignored? 
5. Do you have a culture where people make excuses or make things happen? Do they take orders or take the initiative? Are your people accountable—do they think like owners of the business or do they feel entitled? Do they assume responsibility or fall into the trap of being victims? 
6. Has your company cultivated a spirit of community where people trust each other and enjoy working together? Has your organization traded tribalism and turf protection for radical collaboration or is it hindered by the silo mentality? 
7. Is your organization hungry for change? Does it move with speed and agility or does the hierarchy make it sluggish and slow? 
8. Does everyone in your business believe that innovation is his or her job? Does your organization encourage people to take risks by rewarding intelligent failures or does fear and intimidation rule the day? 
9. Do your people have the margin (time and space) to think about the next big thing and ponder new ways to make the organization better or are people stressed to the max?
10. When someone in your business has a breakthrough idea, do they know where to go with it or does it fall into the black hole of bureaucracy?
11. Do the leaders in your organization see their roles as hard-working servants of the people they lead or is it the other way around?
12. Does your organization celebrate extraordinary accomplishments by telling stories about the heroes and heroines who deliver great results?

how does your corporate culture measure up?

Perhaps your company is an exception to the rule, but the likelihood is that your culture doesn’t match up—few do! Perhaps your organization has been around for a long time and people have become set in their ways and comfortable with the status quo. Maybe you have a MD who leans toward command and control or maybe you are an enlightened MD riddled with employees who aren’t willing to “step up” and own it. It might be that your business was once a leader in innovative products and services, but you’ve gotten trapped in the incumbent’s mentality of thinking small (unexciting) improvements on old designs will carry the day.

Whatever the case, if you recognize that you are in need of a cultural transformation to create the kind of organizational vitality described in part one (Branded Culture Part 1) of this series, stay tuned. Next time, we will discuss some of the transformation strategies that will increase your chances for success.

Gurumantra

the satisficing syndrome

Morgen Witzel

One of my MBA students said something not long ago which has continued to stick in my mind. “I have formed the impression,” he said, “that many managers do not really think about what they are doing.”

What he meant was that very few of us ever stop to reflect on why we are doing what we do. When asked to perform a task, we often do it reflexively, even instinctively. We remember what we did last time, and if it seemed to work okay then, we do it the same way again. But how often do we stop and ask ourselves, “Is this the right way of doing things? Or might there be a better way?”

I suspect that the answer in most cases – certainly in my own case – is “hardly ever.” Very often, this is because we are not granted the time to do so. The pressure we face is constant and relentless. Tasks are stacked up waiting for completion, deadlines are looming over us. Instead of doing the best possible job in every case, we do what the American social scientist and organization theorist Herbert Simon referred to as “satisficing”; that is, doing just enough to pass inspection, getting the job done as quickly and efficiently as possible even if this mean sacrificing a little quality. “Ninety per cent right and on time”, as the saying goes.

Back in the 1970s, in his book The Nature of Managerial Work, Canadian guru Henry Mintzberg described how most managers spend most of their time reacting to events, ‘fire fighting’ and trying to keep things going, rather than working according to previously established plans. It may be true that this is how most managers operate; indeed, it may be even more true today than it was when Mintzberg was first writing.

But that is the situation as it is; does that mean that this is how it should be? I don’t think so. I think that as managers we badly need more time to consider, to reflect, to analyze and think calmly and dispassionately about what we do. This would allow us to make better decisions; by which I mean, correct decisions, decisions that are good for our companies, our customers, our people, ourselves.

The pressure-cooker atmosphere in many companies means that this too rarely happens. This must change. Somehow in the coming decade, we need to find ways of giving ourselves and our managers time to stop, to breathe, to think. How do we do this? Suggestions for ways forward are welcome!

Gurumantra

in trust we trust

Morgen Witzel

What will be the next big issue that determines competitive success for failure? Where will be the next battle ground? In the 1980s, it was quality. In the 1990s, it was knowledge. In the first decade of this century it has been the Internet, knowing how to use it and leverage it to reach customers. So what is coming around the corner? It may sound odd, but I think the next big thing could be trust. Think about how. How many people have been burned in the last few years, investing in supposedly secure assets whose value evaporated like water after the economic crisis? How many people feel let down by the service they receive from their banks, insurance companies, call centres? How many people feel unhappy about the quality of the products that are sold to them? And these days, thanks to the Internet, when they feel unhappy, they can tell the world about it. And they do. Think of the phenomenal growth of Trip Advisor, the web site that allows people to review their travel experiences. Enough bad reviews can seriously damage the reputation of a hotel or resort. And there are other forums and Facebook groups for other products and other companies too. Everyone’s business reputation is under scrutiny like never before. Professor Jagdish Sheth calls this ‘the digital fishbowl’. Every business is visible now, around the world. So what is the answer? Well, try this: make promises to customers, and then keep them. Honour them in full, in spirit as well as letter. Do that often enough, and you will get a reputation for trustworthy products and services, a trustworthy brand. And there, unless your competitors can do the same – and evidence suggests that many of them probably cannot – you have a priceless source of competitive advantage. I think the companies that succeed over the next decade are going to be the companies people trust.

Over the past 20 years Morgen Witzel has established a international reputation for innovative thinking and clear incisive writing about a range of management issues in books, newspaper columns, journal articles and online forae. His work has been translated into many different languages including Chinese, German, Greek, Japanese, Korean, Polish and Spanish.

Morgen’s work encompasses writing, teaching, research and editorial work with a particular interest in the history of management and management thinking. His most recent book, Tata: the Evolution of a Corporate Brand is a full length study of the origins and development of India’s most famous brand, and indeed one of the world’s most valuable brands. This book combines historical analysis with an in-depth look at the brand’s reputation in the eyes of its stakeholders and has been on the Indian bestseller list since its launch in August 2010.

Building a Branded Culture (part 1 of 4)

is your culture purposeful or accidental?

Kevin and Jackie Freiberg

World-class service, game-changing innovation, and flawless execution are inside-out propositions. Leaders must understand that culture is one of the most powerful levels they have in creating a company where everyone gives their best. What happens in places that encourage employees to think big and act bold, question taken-for-granted assumptions, and engage in work that has meaning? What happens in work environments where the propensity to say “Yes” fast—to colleagues, customers, and partners—translates into radical collaboration and getting more done?

The answer is clear. Great work environments foster the kind of creativity, initiative, determination and perseverance that create organizational vitality. Impassioned people who show up to work everyday fully awake, fully engaged, and firing on all cylinders produce extraordinary results. They create better products; take better care of customers, and get more done with fewer resources. Organizational greatness starts from the inside-out. It starts with culture.

A BRANDED CULTURE is a place where the culture is as well known as the company’s products and services. Branded cultures are famous for being extraordinary magnets for world-class talent. Think Apple, Google, Medtronic, Southwest Airlines, Whole Foods, and Wegman’s. Think Tata, Infosys and Apollo. Employees both want to work in these places and choose to stay in them because of the way they are treated. The result is a reciprocal effect where employees create an experience that fosters innovation and blows the doors off business-as-usual.

Culture is the fundamental character and personality of an organization. It’s critical to unleashing a courageous brand because culture touches everything. Southwest’s Herb Kelleher says culture is “the way people think and act when no one is looking.” Every company has a culture, the question is: Is your culture purposeful or accidental? How intentional are you about building a culture that is as much a part of your brand as your products and services?

Your people are the face of your brand. They are the ones responsible for creating the intellectual, emotional and physical experiences your customers have when they interact with your products and use your services. They are the ones responsible for delivering on the promises you make. Leaders who want to unleash courageous brands must see themselves as catalysts for building a branded culture.

What do we know about strong brands? A BRAND IS A PROMISE OF A PENDING EXPERIENCE.

It says to the CUSTOMER: Do business with us and you will tap into more than a product or service. You will tap into a team of industry experts, gurus and thought leaders who are better than anyone at delivering solutions that will help you grow your business.

It says to the CONSUMER: Buy our products or services and we will deliver the kind of convenience, reliability, and excitement that addresses your wants and needs, caters to your lifestyle, supports your dreams.

It says to the TEAM MEMBER: Come work for us and you will engage in work that matters with people who are committed to making a difference.  You will become part of a fun culture that values your ideas, equips you to be a strong performer, encourages you to take intelligent risks, and rewards you for getting great results.

Now, consider YOUR brand. With regard to customers, consumers and team members, how consistently does the experience deliver on the promise? Does your culture deliver on the promises made to these three stakeholders?

You see, a brand is a perishable asset. It must be renewed over and over again by people who are passionate about the brand. Southwest Airlines is only as good as its last trip. Starbucks is only as good as its last cup of coffee. Google is only as good as its last search and you are only as good as the last experience you created for one of these valued stakeholders.

There must be an ongoing effort to renew and refresh the brand—in a way that widens the gap of competitive advantage between you and your competitors. It begins with creating a branded culture that equips people to win and inspires them to be passionate about what they do. So, here’s the question:

Is your culture purposeful and intentional or accidental and haphazard?

Is it BRANDED or run-of-the-mill?

In order to create a BRANDED CULTURE you must first face the brutal facts of reality and identify the gaps between the culture you have and the one you envision. Check into Part 2 of this series for some critical questions that will help you assess how wide or narrow that gap is.

Drs. Kevin and Jackie Freiberg have been renowned authorities on leadership, innovation and culture for the past 20 years. Their clientele includes the likes of South West Airlines, Turner Entertainment Corporation, Bank of America and British Petroleum.

thank you mr buffett!

a smart decision

Lata Subramanian

A couple of years back, when I was offered the opportunity to lead The Smart Manager, my eyes lit up for two reasons. The first reason was kind of obvious—I knew this was an opportunity of a lifetime. Leaving aside the interactions with the best of the best in the industry and academia, the challenge of carrying forward Dr Gita Piramal’s pioneering work in the field of management publishing in India and maintaining the high standards expected of the magazine was a huge magnet. The second reason was more, shall I say, gleeful—the thought that after almost three decades of managing all kinds of teams and businesses, I would finally be able to espouse my pet theories on the editor’s page! As I said, these are not opportunities that come by easily.

On a more serious note, working on The Smart Manager meant a lot of pressure, if only because one was always conscious of having to earn the respect of the management doyens we featured. That meant constantly staying abreast of trends in management, industry categories and individual business entities, and seeing how we could fit all these into the magazine’s distinct non-reportage idiom.

Of the twelve-odd issues that I edited, my favorite is the piece I wrote on Warren Buffett—though admittedly I never met the man. However, analyzing Alice Schroeder’s masterpiece of a biography was perhaps the best homework I can recall doing in my lifetime. I recently had occasion to talk to my current employer about the book, and he was interested enough in reading the piece I wrote, following which I believe the book occupies the no.1 slot on his shopping list. I also owe the book (and Warren Buffett) a ‘thank you’ because I began dabbling in the stock market soon after, trying to apply Buffett’s principles. And yes—I did make some money out of it!

So there you are. Reading The Smart Manager is definitely a profitable business!

Lata Subramanian is former Managing Editor of The Smart Manager and Vice President, Business Development, at Spenta Multimedia, India’s leading publishing house. In her three-decade-long career, Lata has worked in hospitality, aviation and advertising, apart from publishing. Her current assignment at Sterling Resorts allows her to engage in her first love – traveling. Lata lives in Mumbai.