Monday, June 12, 2006

Culture or Engagement?

There seems to be a variety of opinions as to what makes up a company "culture." Here is my opinion and I welcome your comments.

Definition
A company’s culture is the social environment in which work takes place.
It is determined by the aspirations, ideals and behaviors toward which the group strives.

Under this definition there can be a large variety of culture types. One type that I find most effective in achieving the business objectives is the culture of "Partnership."

A Partnership culture is a social environment where employees:
1. Understand what the organization must do to be successful
2. Understand his/her role in achieving financial and operational objectives
3. Focus on issues that affect profit, cash and customer satisfaction
4. Show initiative; Participate in goal setting, problem solving, decision making and self-directed action
5. Celebrate success and share rewards.


Example Statement for a Partnership Culture
“Our social environment is one where employees view themselves as business partners. In this environment, everyone shares the same values of teamwork, mutual respect for others, open and honest communications, and integrity. As business partners we are engaged in the business. We are passionate about our purpose and focused on our business objectives. We strive for the highest levels of performance. We recognize that we have a shared destiny. We realize our personal success is linked to the success of the company. As a result, we value individual contribution and celebrate achievement.”