BOOK REVIEW
“ Anyone can copy your strategy , but no one can duplicate your culture !”
— JOHN R . CHILDRESS
Leverage — A Practical Handbook on Corporate Culture
What is corporate culture ? That ’ s the million-dollar question on the minds of business leaders everywhere . With his book , Leverage : The CEO ’ s Guide to Corporate Culture , culture expert John Childress seeks to separate fact from fiction .
In his straightforward , easy-to-digest book , Leverage : The CEO ' s Guide to Corporate Culture , Childress breaks down the concept of corporate culture for business leaders , helping them better understand the impact culture can have on both business performance and attracting the right hires . As an author and student of corporate culture for the past 35 years , Childress explains how culture is far more than just an idea . He catalogs common types of corporate cultures , highlights leaders ’ responsibility to construct a corporate culture , and details why and how a culture can shift over time .
Unlike many writers who tackle this topic , Childress grounds high-level concepts with dozens of anecdotes about real companies . This engaging handbook will provide an excellent introduction — or refresher — for CEOs who want to energize their company cultures and mobilize their business strategies .
Throughout the book , Childress offers actionable tips for identifying and changing your corporate culture , such as : ÎTAKE Î YOUR CULTURE ’ S PULSE . If you never took the time to design a corporate culture , then chances are it ’ s developed on its own . Take stock of your culture by asking questions like , “ What ’ s our culture ’ s personality ?” and “ What are our company ’ s assumptions ?” From there , identify strengths as well as areas for improvement .
ÎTAKE Î A LOOK AT YOUR SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM . Childress believes culture is deeply rooted in behavior but that companies are hiring based on skill . If members of senior management aren ’ t behaving the way you think they should in order to fit the culture you want for your company , make changes .
ÎALIGN Î YOUR COMPANY . Your strategy is where you want to go and your culture is how you get there . In order to succeed , you need a robust strategy paired with a high-performance culture .
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22 | SNB . COM // CONNECT CULTURE WINTER 2017