Strong company character and culture: the foundation of accelerating organisational performance

Companies have a huge capacity to capture our imagination when they are purposeful and bring value to customers, meaningful innovation and respect to employees.  Fuse these with a strong company character and culture and you have a phenomenal opportunity on which to  accelerate performance and build business success.

Two iconic leaders in this space passed away last year - Blake Nordstrom of Nordstrom.com a global fashion retailer and Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines. They should not be forgotten.  They understood the power of their people and a strong corporate culture.  In 2018, Norstrom topped Market Force’s Customer Loyalty Index amongst fashion retailers for the sixth consecutive year.  Southwest Airlines topped the JD Power’s Customer Satisfaction rankings for low-cost carriers.

These two companies both have a remarkable reputation for customer service which starts with their culture. Both cultures are based on trust, safety and respect.

Herb Kelleher himself perfectly illuminated this principle: 

“If the employees come first, then they’re happy…. A motivated employee treats the customer well. The customer is happy so they keep coming back, which pleases the shareholders. It’s not one of the enduring green mysteries of all time, it is just the way it works.”

Nordstrom focused on cultivating a sense of co-ownership and a culture of mutual respect. Blake Nordstrom himself described their approach:

“We want all employees to feel like it’s their name on the door and they are empowered to do whatever it takes to serve the customer on their terms. Our open door policy is connected to the idea that we have a stake in this together.  It’s up to each of us to play our role in delivering the best experience for the customer.”

I particularly like Blake Nordstrom’s co-ownership approach, it reminds me of the incredible turnaround of the England Rugby Union team under Clive Woodward, who put the following six crucial steps in place:

1.       Set the vision to inspire the team

2.       Design the experience that supports your goal

3.       Build the infrastructure of effective systems

4.       Shape the mindset by thinking different and in detail

5.       Implement new ideas and initiatives carefully and drop them if they don’t support your aims

6.       Coach and analyse to achieve world-class standards of measurable performance

 and underpinned them all with the cultivation of an elite team culture.

When I think of what Clive Woodward accomplished and how he went about it, he absolutely mirrored Blake Nordstrom’s co-ownership approach - he set out a clear vision and gave every player the chance to be part of moulding the desired culture and gave them every chance to thrive, succeed and achieve.

He involved the players and asked them for their ideas about playing for the elite England team and detailed these ever-evolving details in a book which became known as the Black Book. Over eight months, it changed and morphed and the end result was a blueprint for the elite professional sports experience that would support the overarching goal of winning the Rugby World Cup.

The book became the cornerstone of the elite culture, the guiding beacon.  It was etched in the minds of the players and for any new player into the team, it was invaluable. The players started to believe in the art of the possible and that they were an elite team, destined to World Cup status. 

Indeed the approach was focused beyond focused and in fact Woodward said after winning the World Cup that “If I started again in business or sport, the Black Book concept is the first thing I’d create with a new team”.

Setting solid foundations and embedding a desired culture is fundamentally important to the success of a business.  Discretionary work, commitment and loyalty can’t be bought.  Herb Kelleher put it well: “The core of our success. That’s the most difficult thing for a competitor to imitate. They can buy all the physical things. The things you can’t buy are dedication, devotion, loyalty—the feeling that you are participating in a crusade.”

Have you identified the right culture in your business that will lead you to success? Have you put in place an embedding programme so that the desired culture becomes etched in your company’s fabric and will stand the test of time?

We rise by lifting others

I love this quote and it really gives you food for thought. True leaders have this front and centre of their minds. They understand the strengths of their team members and use these strengths to help them thrive.

When a person is doing what they love and playing to their strengths, the work they produce is not only better but they’re happier and more productive.

Do you know the strengths of every member in your team and what they like to do?

CULTURE CHANGE…IT’S IMPORTANT, BUT MORE OF A MARATHON THAN A SPRINT!

Changing a culture in an organisation is a pretty hard thing to do and because of this, many companies put it at the bottom of their ‘to do’ list. However, a business owner or CEO would be advised to bring it to the fore, because when positive cultural forces align with strategic priorities, it can accelerate a company’s drive to gain the competitive edge.

Corporate cultures constantly slowly evolve…FACT!  You can’t change a culture overnight…..FACT! 

Behaviours are the most powerful aspect of real change because what people actually do is much more powerful than what they say or believe.

Once a company is clear about its strategic vision and the direction of travel has been defined, then it must look at the behaviours that will support achieving the vision. What are the cultural attributes that already exist and work well for the company. These should be acknowledged, celebrated and retained.  Then it’s important to analyse the themed behaviours that are seen as hindrance to delivering the vision and focus on shifting these.  Remember, a total culture make-over is unrealistic, could get your colleagues backs up and isn’t the right way forward.

Your leaders are key to driving the right culture and the change required. Role modelling and championing are critical if the journey to a new, desired culture is going to come to fruition.  Make sure your leaders understand their role as change agents; know the behaviours they should be role modelling and championing, are clear on what’s expected from them and can support, empower and enable their teams as the change journey develops and unfurls.

I read an article that resonated with me and covered many of the key principles that should be addressed as a company looks to evolve its culture. It’s definitely worth a read if culture is a hot topic in your organisation and something you’re interested in.

And finally don’t forget, when looking at driving a performance-driven culture for your company, it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon – expect an evolution, not a revolution.

Nothing is impossible, the word itself says I'm possible

I particularly love this quote.  Not only am I a total Audrey Hepburn fan, but this is a quote that can potentially stop you in your tracks and negate any chatter that could be buzzing around your mind which is not best serving you.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, in the corporate world, just starting off in your career or thinking of transitioning into something new, step inside of you, think about what art of the possible lies inside of you.  Ponder it, reflect on it, visualise it and keep moulding and evolving it in your mind’s eye.

Ask yourself….

• What makes me buzz?
• Who and what inspires me and makes my heart sing?
• What do I enjoy doing and what strengths can I call upon to bring about possibility?
• What is my art of the possible and how am I going to apply it to my world?

And when things are feeling particularly tough and you're struggling to wade through what appears to be thick treacle, what are your possibilities?  What can you do differently to find a way through?

And keep remembering

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE, THE WORD ITSELF SAYS

I’M POSSIBLE….

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

I was at a session recently at which the latest Gallup State of the Global Workplace 2017 statistics were discussed – it was pretty depressing hearing the numbers.

·        Only 11% of UK workers are fully engaged at work

·        68% of UK workers are not engaged

·        21% of workers are actively disengaged

These stats make worrying reading as they translate to 1 in 5 employees working against your business and only 1 in 11 working for it.

Leaders are fundamental to making a shift in team member’s feelings and actions.  I’ve been pondering the stats and have been reflecting on my 20+ years of experience in various countries, workplaces and sectors and have come up with my thoughts around the fundamental steps that need to be taken to shift colleague mindsets and motivate them to become real advocates of the company in which they work:

A clear and compelling vision (the why), strategy (the what) and values (the how) that are integrated into everything a company does.  There’s no point in having a vision, strategy and values that are articulated once a year at a leadership event or a town hall by the CEO or the Exec team.  It’s about consistency and recognition for achievements aligned to them.  It’s also about hard-wiring them into all people processes and initiatives, whilst also giving employees the freedom to make the vision, strategy and values their own. 

How do the vision and values translate into the recruitment approach, induction process, strategic objectives and priorities, performance management and reward and recognition to name but a few?  Only by consistent integration and joining the dots can a culture with the right behaviours and focus start to evolve and move the company in the right direction to realise its vision and strategic objectives.

Once the vision, strategy and values narrative have been shared with colleagues in the right way – and a lot of thought and consideration needs to be given to this – it’s important to carry out team sessions in which colleagues can figure out for themselves, supported by their leaders, how to make the vision meaningful to them and their role.  Colleagues come to work wanting to contribute, but sometimes along the way disillusion can set in.  Empowering colleagues to consider and then take control of the way they work and perform is important.  When colleagues can clearly see how they are personally contributing to the vision and strategic priorities, it's all powerful and incredibly motivating.  'Making it meaningful' team sessions are a must!

Role modelling from the top is self-explanatory but it’s worrying how often this isn’t done. If the top team aren’t going to ‘walk the talk’, why would they think that colleagues will take it and them seriously.

The top team should also stay in direct touch with different levels of the organisation. Hearing it from the horse's mouth is insightful and keeps the CEO and his team in the ‘real world’ and enables them to be balanced in their decision making.  I’ve often thought how challenging for CEOs not to be swayed by the colleagues they deal with on a day-to-day basis, who may be biased, out of touch or have political agendas.  Regular, relatively intimate sessions with colleagues from across the business at different levels can help the top team stay in tune with what's going on throughout the business.

The right leaders who champion the vision, strategy and values and have the right skillset, attitude and collaborative and inclusive approach, help bring their teams on a united journey with them.  Leaders who support rather than alienate are critical to organisational success.  I’ve talked to a lot of Senior Leaders who have said that they wish they’d upskilled the full Leader population sooner rather than later.  As we’re all aware from the stats, most employees leave an organisation because of their Line Manager – just think how many more talented colleagues you could retain by developing great Leaders with the right skills, strategic approach and emotional intelligence.

Communication is the cornerstone of an engaged workforce.  A culture of high engagement requires a consistent flow of communication from top to bottom and back up again.  Connecting colleagues to the organisation, leaders to colleagues and colleagues to each other, makes for a productive, informed and valued workforce. 

In a recent published State of the Sector report from Gatehouse, 56% cited poor communication skills in their Line Managers as the biggest barrier to their success.  It’s a Line Managers role to have meaningful conversations with their teams; provide context for corporate decision making; help colleagues to see how they play a part in delivering the bigger picture and inspiring, motivating and  recognising them for their actions.

There are more elements that contribute to having an engaged workforce, but these are the ones that stick out for me. The Burke-Litwin Model of organisational performance and change, cites 12 factors.  The research states that external factors, vision and strategy, leadership and culture must be central to achieving transformational change.  Only tweaking and restructuring the other 8 areas is not directional enough to bring about large-scale change.

Food for thought....

GDPR - will it make a difference?

GDPR - will it make a difference?

We live in a world that has been driven in the last 20 years by globalism and more recently a world that seems to be getting taken over by an exploding social media scene (although could this be coming to an end with the negatives that come with it such as the Facebook/Cambridge Analyticagate, cyber bullying and the black web?) 

One of the main things that makes me feel uncomfortable about this side of things is the way that we have the potential to be so manipulated.  The personal data companies hold on us - because we’ve entered into agreements with them, whether it’s our bank, insurance company, retailer or a social media platform – means that we’re not only prone to being bombarded by nuisance phone calls and advertisements, but we’re also unsure where our personal details are turning up and how they are being used.

I’ve just finished a stint at Royal Sun Alliance (RSA), leading on their comms and awareness campaign for the incoming (25th May) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to help colleagues, customers and third parties understand what is means at RSA, how the company is getting GDPR ready and what it means for them.

GDPR is a stronger regulation that takes over from the existing Data Protection Act and means that companies will potentially face larger fines if they don’t comply. There is also a reputational risk at stake.  Simply put, under GDPR companies need to know where the personal data they hold and process is stored; how long they keep it for; who they share it with and ensure that company is GDPR compliant as well; and the personal information must be kept secure and any data breaches reported in a timely manner and where appropriate the regulator and customer informed.

GDPR can only help us all as customers and consumers.  The companies that hold our personal data will now be held more accountable and must be more transparent.  For the customer/consumer, we have enhanced rights which we can exercise with any business that holds our personal data, and which they must comply with or face the wrath of the regulator, the ICO.

This new regulation will enable us as customers and consumers to take more control of our personal data, but I wonder what else would really change.   When I spoke to a colleague working on the GDPR programme at RSA and asked if he thought this would make a difference to the nuisance phones calls that we all frustratingly get, he felt there wouldn’t be too much difference.  Let’s see what happens from 25th May onwards….watch this space……

I've added some useful links if you're interested in finding out more:

For customers and consumers: Your rights.

For organisations:  GDPR resources + 12 step guide to get business ready

For small businesses: GDPR small business support

connecting and capitalising

Connecting and capitalising...

It’s been an interesting few months, as I’ve basically thrown caution to the wind and thrown my life up in the air!  Not only have I given up my job but I’ve made the big move out of the London area to Essex and started Capitalise to follow a passion and dream.

Two months ago I took myself through phase one of my Capitalise Brand Builder programme to help shape my authentic brand story.  It was such a phenomenal experience as it made me dig deep and answer some powerful questions, in order to begin to craft and hone my heartfelt story that would become my guiding beacon in everything I do.  I've taken some reflection time and I feel I've managed to capture it which is now allowing me to be consistent in what I say and write .....it's official, I'm at the start of building my recognisable and memorable story....exciting!

As this had been so powerful and not knowing many people locally, I was keen to meet like-minded entrepreneurs, hear what they are up to and give them a flavour of what I’ve done in the corporate world, but with an entrepreneurial twist to help them with their businesses.

There were eight of us in total, all from different backgrounds and businesses, but all taking that big step and being brave and courageous.  What a great evening, full of positive energy, productive results and collaborative inspiration.

It’s so motivating to work with talented people from such varied backgrounds.  The recurring theme was how important it is to collaborate and connect to people who are facing the same challenges. 

Feedback has been great and the ladies are already using the tools and work they developed… “huge value and something I will now refer to forever to keep me on track”.

 If you’re struggling with your story or starting off on your entrepreneurial journey and would like to take part in the Capitalise Brand Builder, do get in touch.

Next steps for me is setting my strategic objectives and priorities which align to my brand story...connecting, aligning, capitalising....

The power of storytelling in business and organisations

The power of storytelling in business and organisations

Stories are traced back to prehistoric times when cave dwellers would capture their stories as pictures on cave walls. There’s a long, long history of storytelling which remains as strong as ever, with most parents continuing the tradition of telling bedside stories to the children, and fairy tales remaining popular, even if now appearing in a myriad of different guises.  Stories are what we know and connect to from a very early age. 

The truly great storytellers speak from and to the heart and they can inspire positive feelings and action.

In business, we sometimes forget the power of a story and how it can connect to colleagues within an organisation and also to the external world....to existing and potential clients and customers.  It’s a fantastic way of creating trust, meaning, camaraderie and also inspiring desired action.

Telling your own story from the heart as a leader in business or an owner of a company and telling this regularly and consistently is hugely important if you are to create a loyal following.  What are the words that you want to weave into your narrative that resonate at a deeper level and help connect and inspire? These are the questions you should be asking yourself and will stand you in good stead if you ponder long enough and get it right.

Capturing and sharing your stories that connect to your purpose, your vision and values, enveloping your readers in the passion that drives you to be who you are and do what you do, will help you create a following....a fan base.

I recently had some great feedback from various associates and friends about the content of my refreshed website which made my heart soar. It was the ultimate compliment - they fed back that they could tell I was completely passionate about what I do.  It had taken some time to craft and hone the words, but it seems I've managed to create my authentic 'brand' story, the unique story of Joss and the ‘why’ behind Capitalise!

There are so many fantastic story tellers out there and I love watching Ted Talks as they are incredibly inspiring, interesting and thought provoking.  One of my favourites is Bryan Stevenson’s talk about the importance of identity. I’d recommend finding the 22.09 minutes to watch it, as it’s incredibly compelling and it certainly got me thinking.  Once you’ve done this, ask yourself …. ‘What parts do I connect to and why?’ and think how you can bring that similar feeling into your story telling so you can make the same connection to your audience…. 

My second challenge to you is to make sure that your story captures your passion, your ‘why’, ‘what’ and ‘how’ so that through your authentic story and unique take on the world, your potential clients and customers can see who you truly are and what you stand for…..