Shawnee Love   •  
May 29, 2012

For most employees, Organizational Culture is “the way we do things and get treated around here”.  It includes the rituals, norms, environment, and belief systems of all employees and it affects all aspects of your business because culture affects decisions and decision making, communication and how relationships are made and maintained.

Create a culture that fits your company and its goals and you can go to the moon. Create a culture that is a bad fit and you undermine your company at every juncture.  The good news is, organizational culture is typically a reflection of the ownership and leadership and as such, something you can influence, change and even somewhat control.

Here are 6 easy steps to creating your company culture:

1. Take a hard look at yourself.

Are you acting on the values and ethics you want for your company’s culture?  As an owner or business leader, you must always be on because you are always under scrutiny by your employees.  Everything you say and do (even outside of work) and every decision you make (or don’t make) is being observed and in fact, is what creates your organizational culture.  Live the culture you want to create.

2. Define the criteria you would fire someone for and what you can’t abide.

Perhaps it is my contrary nature, but it seems to me that people find it easier to identify what behaviours they can’t stand.  Interestingly, if a manager detests laziness then the people she hires will take initiative and be energetic, and so will the culture in her team.  If introversion will get employees sidelined, then sociable, gregarious employees will abound.

3. Fire people who demonstrates those characteristics you detest.

Then only hire people who have the values and characteristics you are trying to foster.  Figure out how to weed out those detestable qualities in the recruiting process.

4. Identify behaviours that reflect your company’s desired values & ethics.

Walk them and talk about them, so your people know you are serious.

5. Recognize and praise people who follow your lead.

6. Fake it till you make it.

It will feel weird at first, but if you practice what you preach, in 6-12 months you will be able to look back and realize how far your company has come.