Be critical as you play the archaeologist role. Be objective.
Don’t make excuses such as, “Well, I know we talk about customer
service in new hire orientation, we just don’t have it written down.”
This is the time to scrutinize, to examine, to do some in-depth
exploring.
Final Thoughts
A culture can never be wished into existence. It takes action
and artifacts to make it happen. When Indiana Jones went
exploring, he didn’t find wishes. He found stuff. This stuff led him
to other stuff and eventually helped him to draw conclusions about
the culture that had left that stuff behind (and to make a great
movie in the process, as well!).
If an Indiana Jones were to discover your office place, what
kind of stuff would he find? Would his conclusions about your
corporate culture be what you’d like them to be? Or would the
artifacts you left behind lead him to imagine a completely different
culture?
When artifacts match aims, and when actions back up values,
the results are incredible. Not too long ago I had the opportunity
to work with a hospital that lived out its values, and it was a
delightful experience.
This hospital had “appreciation” stated as one of its values,
but this value was more than just stated; it was shining in every
corner. Every employee I met reinforced this value, and I saw clues
(artifacts, if you will) scattered throughout the building to back
up the hospital’s claim. Compliment boxes in the hallways, for
instance, where patients and hospital employees alike could drop
thank-yous for other employees. In an employee corridor, I found
whiteboards with markers for employees to write compliments to
each other. These whiteboards were filled with the most wonderful
compliments, ranging from “Thanks for covering my shift” to
“Thanks for cleaning up the patient’s room after the ‘incident.’”
Some comments were funny and some were touching, but all
expressed appreciation. It made me feel good just to read them, and
I didn’t even work there.
It was artifacts like these whiteboards that led me to the
singular conclusion, “This hospital has a culture that values
appreciation.”
And amazingly, I didn’t need anyone to tell me that. G
Dennis Snow is the president of Snow & Associates Inc. Dennis
worked with the Walt Disney World Co. for 20 years and now
consults with organizations around the world, helping them achieve
their customer service goals. He is the author of “Unleashing
Excellence: The Complete Guide to Ultimate Customer Service”
and “Lessons From the Mouse: A Guide for Applying Disney World’s
Secrets of Success to Your Organization, Your Career, and Your
Life.” You can reach Dennis at 407-294-1855 or visit his website
at www.snowassociates.com.
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