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.