The 10 Rules of Strong Organisational Culture

Let’s read the title of this blog again and this time slowly…

Culture.Eats.Strategy.For.Breakfast. Isn’t that such a powerful statement and an absolute reality! This phrase was originated by Peter Drucker and was made famous by Mark Fields, President at Ford.

Organisational Culture

Organisational culture is what defines an organisation, it’s what motivates staff and it’s why they stay. Organisational culture, sadly I might add, is one of the most underrated and overlooked aspects of an organisation. Organisations are extremely pre-occupied with the high level strategy and a razor-sharp focus on the bottom line to even realise that it’s the culture that will make or break them.

Organisational culture means modus operandi, things are done around here. It’s the mantra that management consultants religiously chant!

How many times has it happened, in all honesty, that key stakeholders in an organisation stop and question “What does it feel like to work here?” What we often get wrong is that this question is mainly relegated to the annual employee engagement survey and given a cursory glance, if at all! A shrug of the shoulders and a blasé “It is what it is” just leads to talent leaving for competition who have something better to offer…not only monetarily, but a better work environment, culture and ethos.

How to improve your work culture

So where does the onus lie on for a poor culture and who takes the accolades for a strong one? The simple answer is – EVERYONE! It needs to be sponsored, driven and embedded into the organisational DNA by the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), but middle management and employees are all equally accountable for it to be sustainable.

It’s interesting the kind of startled reactions, raised eyebrows and a minute’s silence that follows when SLT is asked “Define the culture of your organisation in one word”. The fact that there needs to be careful thought on the description is an indicator enough that we are not spending enough time to the very foundation of the organisation. You will have people stay only because it’s the means to an end, or because the next best opportunity hasn’t yet presented itself, but then you will also have talent leave because the culture is toxic towards their professional growth and peace of mind.

One popular example that comes to mind is that of a billion-dollar tech company (name withheld) whose key reason for a poor culture is ‘’astonishingly poor management practices’’. Like it or not, employees tend to ape the behaviour of their managers, especially when they know that poor behaviour has no real consequences.

The 10 rules of strong organisational culture

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Conversely, there are organisations that employees love to work for, such as Virgin, Facebook, Google, and Twitter to name a few; what’s their common denominator you might ask? Let’s explore the 10 rules of what a strong culture looks like that these organisations and so many more follow –

Employee Value Proposition:

What makes your organisation unique and what you stand for? If you have strong applicants lining up to join your organisation, you know you are doing something right! Trust:

The bedrock of any successful relationship. Rock solid levels of trust engender commitment and engagement. If employees are constantly ‘’Big Brother-ed’’ or micromanaged, then they know when to switch on and switch off ‘’good behaviour.” Wouldn’t you prefer sincerity over deceit? Additionally, archaic policies and a lack of flexibility are also additional culprits of disengagement and toxicity. Values in the organisational DNA:

Does the CEO down to the facilities management staff live and breathe the company values? If the answer is in the negative, then you can’t expect them to deliver the results you want to see. An atmosphere of inspiration and excellence:

Are your employees passionate about what they do, engaged and motivated? Well then working at your organisation is a bonus! Empowerment:

A subset of trust, empowerment results in employees feeling they can conquer the world and will thrive on the sense of autonomy. Healthy conflict resolution is also an extension of empowerment where the culture supports embracing differences and harmonising through diversity. Low attrition levels:

If people are happy, why would they want to leave? Office politics – but to a bare minimum:

It’s a fact; office politics exist and they aren’t always necessarily a bad thing. SLT often tends to get a sense of the temperature and pulse of the organisation through this, but this should be limited to a one off event. Strong cultures see the top brass having a zero tolerance policy towards group behaviour, favouritism and gossip; they are called leaders for a reason – they need to be strong role models and simply lead by example. Strong brand ambassadors:

Your biggest and strongest marketing tools are your employees. If they acquire high quality talent for you, then you are quite simply reaping the fruits of your hard labour of the creation of and the sustainability of a positive culture! Investment in Learning and Development:

People are your biggest resources and a solid investment of time and money in your key resource goes a long way. A learning organisation is one that sets the foundation for having loyal and knowledgeable staff. A strong bottom line:

Not necessarily a precursor to a great work culture, but nonetheless, if you get the top 9 points right, chances are that your financial performance will also paint a pretty picture.

Any company disconnecting culture and strategy are putting their success at risk. You don’t need to have state of the art technology, or a theme park campus to have a mile long line of applicants roaring to join your organisation. It’s quite often the intangible aspects that go a long way. Strategy is what we need to do, but culture is how we do it.

Organisational culture eats strategy for breakfast, lunch AND dinner, so make sure you do it right from the get-go and if the culture needs realignment, don’t be afraid to challenge the status quo!

Contact us for more information at info@oakwooddubai.ae or call one of our expert programme advisors on +971 4 359 9020.

Photo by Charles Koh on Unsplash

Colin L. Powell’s Thirteen Rules of Leadership

As we reflect on former Secretary of State Colin Powell’s legacy, we are reminded of his thirteen rules of leadership which have guided so many of our colleagues and principals. We are grateful for his love of the State Department and his legacy that we still feel in the workplace.

Secretary Powell’s 13 Rules:

It ain’t as bad as you think! It will look better in the morning. Get mad then get over it. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it. It can be done. Be careful what you choose. You may get it. Don’t let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision. You can’t make someone else’s choices. You shouldn’t let someone else make yours. Check small things. Share credit. Remain calm. Be kind. Have a vision. Be demanding. Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayers. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

Colin L. Powell

The 10 Rules of Successful Delegation

Here at The Muse, we’ve been growing our team (with aims toward total world domination, of course). And as we bring on new employees and I mentor our new managers, one of the biggest questions I’ve been getting is how best to delegate tasks.

How much should be delegated to others? How much training or hands-on attention do people need? How can you ensure a great final product?

To answer these questions (and more!), I’ve compiled what I consider to be the 10 commandments of delegation: The rules that will ensure success every time. Whether you’re an expert exec or a novice manager, keep them in mind the next time you hand off an assignment.

1. Be Patient

The first time you delegate any task, it is almost certainly going to take longer than doing it yourself. That’s normal. Over time, it will get easier.

2. Don’t Over-Delegate

Delegation is not shifting work you should be doing to someone else’s plate—it’s getting those tasks you shouldn’t be doing off of yours. It’s important to know the difference.

3. Pick the Right People

Make sure the person you’re delegating to is qualified to do the task. Better yet, try to delegate tasks that will make use of your team members’ best skills and strengths. Then...

4. Explain Why You’re Delegating

When you select people to delegate to, tell them why you chose them specifically, and how you hope to see this help them grow. Help them see each delegated task as an opportunity to take on more responsibilities or grow new skills.

5. Be Specific

Be specific with your asks, including why a task needs to be done, the deadlines, and the expected results. Vague instructions beget vaguely terrible output.

6. Provide Training

Delegation doesn’t just mean handing off a task—make sure your team members have the resources they need to do the job. A good training rule of thumb is “I do, we do, you do” watch me do this, then let’s do it together, now you try).

7. Touch Base

Throughout the course of the project or task, always schedule time to touch base. The more complex the task, the more often you may need to touch base.

8. But Don’t Micromanage

Once you’ve delegated, trained, and set up a schedule for touching base, back away from the project. To succeed (and to help your employee succeed), you have to let go.

9. Offer Feedback

Any time you delegate something, provide feedback on the end result (both positive and constructive). It’s an extra step, but making sure you’re getting exactly what you need—and helping others get better over time—will only help you in the long run.

10. Say Thanks

Hey, your employee is saving you time and providing value. Say thanks!

Are there any rules we’re missing? Tell us what you think on Twitter @TheMuse!