Back to the Culture

This week I had the opportunity to listen to a panel on the topic of Winning with Integrity, Is Following the Rules Enough.  The balance was 4 sports industry executives and 1 in the area of compliance.  If I had to give a simply stated summary, though not directly associated with the headline, it all comes “Back to the Culture”! ​Something I am passionate about.

In the discussion, I found the opportunity to consider 3 ideas; the need to know your culture, the intent to match character to culture and my own observation of the conflict between the language of winning in cultures where having one winner is not the game. Briefly I offer…

The need to know your culture.  My working theory on knowing your culture, is you need to first identify who is leading it. Which may or may not be the ownership and or executives in leadership roles.  Once identified, what is their personal story from as far back in their family life as able to remember.  Understanding who these leaders are as individuals and their significant life experiences, is the first reflection of your existing culture, intended or unintended. An authentic culture is not solely the product of strategy meetings and company objectives.

The intent to match character to culture.  As an owner, executive and Manager, whenever we were bringing in a new member to our team, I would start the interview by acknowledging and encouraging that it be a 2-way conversation and evaluation.  If you were speaking with me the assumption was you met the basic job requirements.  What I wanted to know was could we develop a mutually rewarding relationship. Our company culture needed to be consistent with what the potential hire was seeking for themselves, not just us obviously feeling they were a fit.  

The language of winning where having one winner is not the game. There are far too many instances today where we metaphorically associate a win and lose outcome.  Relationships, Business and Government should not be engaging in a win/lose but striving to achieve a common good and share in the big picture outcome. If we are competing, comparing and tearing one another down for our own benefit, my opinion, the perceived victory is bitter, not sweet, from all that has been loss through breaking good character rules. 

I do not want to be remiss in suggesting that the session did not discuss the challenges that exist between compliance and following the written (and unwritten) rules.  There was such conversation (and many others), but often they lead back to the role of culture and building a team that exemplifies it.  The panel valuable. My ideas, to be continued…
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ReImagine Possibilities would like to partner with individuals, families and businesses (teams) through advising/coaching, May you and I unpack your stories to discover if alignment exists between what you strategize to be and what is actually showing up? May I assist you in creating processes to position for success individually and collectively? May I with you, work to fulfill individual potentials, channeled towards everyone “winning” together?

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