In Monday’s Blog we wrote about the culture of complacency, how it shows in large organizations and that if you are the company (an entrepreneur or microbusiness), it then exemplifies you.
People we talk with are often surprised when we ask them about their culture. They respond by reminding us that they are solo practitioners or a small partnership, and how on earth can they have a culture. They remind us that culture is that soft stuff that big companies have. Big companies certainly do have a culture – in fact all companies/organizations have a culture regardless of their size. And that includes one-person organizations.
Culture is the environment you set for how work gets done. It’s a common language, a common understanding, a common goal. This may be easy to understand for large organizations, so you may be skeptical on how this could possibly relate to you.
To better understand how culture relates to you as a solo or partnerpreneur and why it’s important, take a moment to answer these questions:
• What’s your mission or the purpose of your business?
• What’s your vision?
• What are your values that drive your decisions and behavior on a day-to-day basis?
• Is your purpose in alignment with your passion and capabilities?
• Do you practice what you say? Do you deliver on your word and brand promise?
• And, if we asked your customers, would they concur with your answers?
If you don’t know, or if you haven’t thought about it, we suggest that you take to time to candidly reflect on these questions. The most serious organizations even get outside help with a climate or culture assessment. While you may or be not be pleased with all of the answers, at least you will know where to focus for improvement, as ultimately, we find that culture is a magnet or a deterrent for both staff and customers.
Copyright 2011 Kubica LaForest Consulting
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