CREATING CULTURE
THE ROLE OF CORE VALUES IN MAINTAINING YOUR ULTIMATE CULTURE
Sure , cultivating and nurturing your garden of positive culture is easy enough in theory , but how do you go about doing this in practice ?
To start , you need to define your company ’ s core values and set them in stone . Your core values are the heart of your organizational culture and the roots from which everything in your garden will grow , so choose them carefully and thoughtfully .
Core values create consistency for your team and provide a solid set of expectations by which everyone abides . Everyone in your organization , or every plant in your garden , should resonate with these values .
On our Tulip Media team , most of what we do in our roles is just second nature at this point . However , we all consistently recognize how each other ’ s behavior supports the core values that our company is built on .
This takes the well-nurtured garden to another level . In our company garden , we ’ ve now got plants , or employees , that work together to keep the garden beautiful too . We are able to do this because our core values have been ingrained so deeply into us that we all understand exactly what is expected of us and how to achieve it .
When the fit between employees and company is so compatible , living out core values is easy . It really just comes down to making the most natural decision based on what we value and what we know the company and our team value .
During our quarterly performance reviews , we are assessed 50 % on our productivity and 50 % on living our core values . The focal points of core values assessments align with whatever your core values are .
With such a heavy portion of the performance review based on culture , anyone who isn ’ t naturally aligned with your company values won ’ t last long . If who they are , what they believe , the way they treat people , and the way they want to be treated themselves isn ’ t consistent with your criteria for what these areas should look like , the performance review will quickly weed them out before they have a chance to affect the health of your garden .
Someone who is compatible with your company will share all of the core values personally and live them out every day without being asked . A perfect candidate won ’ t need to adopt any new attitudes because their existing attitudes are already compatible with the positive culture of your organization . This person is a true asset to your company and will help nurture your ultimate culture .
Employees that do live the company core values every day will appreciate being reviewed as much on their role as the way they carry out their role in the organization . This communicates to them that they ’ re being considered in a much bigger framework than simply their ability to maintain operations . They ’ ll also be appreciative of having all of those little things they do for the organization noticed and applauded by everyone else .
Keep your team motivated and living to their highest potential by keeping the environment they ’ re working in clean and beautiful . When someone doesn ’ t live up to the company core values , remove them from the scene . It ’ s better to trust that a new hire will come along than let all of your hard work go to waste .
Remember that the fastest way to destroy your culture is to have someone in the middle ruining it . If someone in the organization is not living up to their core values , you must be willing to fire the offender . Having a weed growing amidst your carefully crafted garden will steal the light and nutrients away from all of your beautiful flowers , causing them to wilt .
You might spend years cultivating your ultimate culture , but if you have someone at the center disrupting your team and making other people frustrated , you can destroy that culture and everything you worked for in the blink of an eye .
Get everybody on the same page , get everybody pulling together , get everyone aligned with the core values that comprise the heart of your organization . Sow the seeds of your ultimate culture and tend to them every day . That ’ s what makes the magic happen and creates a culture that is intentional and by design , not one that is left to grow by default .
Erika MacLeod is the Managing Editor at Tulip Media Group and best selling author of The Ultimate Culture . With over 15 years of organizational experience , Erika works closely with Client-Partners and is Tulip ' s liason with their renowned national contributors . Erika ' s first book , co-authored with Stacey Cowperthwaite , on culture is now available on Amazon : tm . media / ultimateculture
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