Archives For Culture

Corporate culture, or organizational culture is defined as: A blend of the values, beliefs, taboos, symbols, rituals and myths all companies develop over time. This category aims to help find the most profitable way to work with these things.

How To Be A Reverse Gossip

September 18, 2013

COURAGE NEEDS HOPE

It’s been a while since my last post…that’s kind of a good news / bad news thing.  Good news is that I’m very busy and am working on some exciting projects.  Bad news is that my time for writing and reflection has dwindled.  I need to change that!  I also hope to share my new projects with you soon!

A Story of Hope…

Gossip really is a cancer in life, business, and just about anywhere.  I don’t know many people that would argue that point.  However, I recently witnessed a positive version of gossip I’m calling “reverse gossip“.  It was refreshing, energizing, and did more for moral than anything I’ve seen in years!

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In Culture
September 18, 2013
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The One Thing Every Leader Must Change Now!

August 21, 2013

leadership change image

Having a business named “Corporate Culture Revolution” gets me into some pretty interesting conversations.  Whether I’m being mocked, argued with, or praised, eyebrows are usually raised (along with occasional voices).  It’s alright though, I wouldn’t have it any other way!

The point being, I often hear reasons why written examples of leadership & culture don’t mean squat in the real world.  They just aren’t practical in the time constraints of doing business.  So, many leaders will give up on even trying to learn.  Instead, they will focus on more practical problems & solutions for their business.  Of course I don’t agree with this approach, but I do understand the challenges and pitfalls of attempting to apply unlimited theories in a limited world, focused on practical results.

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In Culture, Leading ,
August 21, 2013
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How To Handle A Lack Of Vision From Your Boss

August 14, 2013

SEEING VERSUS VISION

We’ve all been there before…your boss just doesn’t like to talk like that.  “Vision?  My vision is for you to get back to work!”.  Not exactly inspiring, right?  Well, there is a vision there, even if he or she doesn’t want to admit it.  Here’s how to get it out of them…

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In Culture, Engage Your Boss
August 14, 2013
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When To Fight And When To Retreat Against A Leadership Decision

August 7, 2013

FIGHT OR RETREAT

Not every battle is worth the cost of winning.  Sometimes the casualties of corporate skirmishes can be ugly!  There are many situations where “letting this one go” means swallowing your pride while saving the team or the mission.  With that being said, retreat doesn’t necessarily mean losing; it may mean survival!

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In Culture, Engage Your Boss, Leading
August 7, 2013
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How Do Profit Margins Affect Culture?

July 18, 2013

CULTURE VERSUS PROFIT

For some time now I’ve been struggling with the question written in the headline above.  I’ve personally worked in an organization that seemingly had endless profits and resources, while I’ve also worked in one that was struggling to break even.  Obviously the one with endless resources had the advantage, but maybe it’s not as simple as you think.

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In Culture, Leading, Motivation
July 18, 2013
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The Secret To Getting Your Customers To Forget About Your Competitors

July 10, 2013

GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE DESTROYS COMPETITORS

A Vacation Story

Like many families here in the states, my wife, two children, and myself took a family trip last week.  For us, it was an opportunity to visit my wife’s family in the heart of French speaking Quebec.  This is always a unique experience filled with cultural epiphanies and typical travel frustrations.

However, instead of complaining about some of the lousy customer service experiences we had while interacting with dozens of businesses over seven days, I want to take a different route.  Instead, I’d like to share with you a highlight of the trip, which we had as the very first and very last experience of our journey.

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In Culture, Leading ,
July 10, 2013
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How To Fight The Co-Worker Coalition

June 26, 2013

INNOCENT CO-WORKER

I recently witnessed a crazy phenomenon at a company that I’m working with.  It was powerful, it was ugly, and it was made up of individuals who were seemingly out for blood.  I’m calling it a co-worker coalition.

I don’t believe any of the resulting issues were intentional.  However, when the same people spend a lot of time together complaining, frustrations can brew.  This type of “gossip” is a cancer that WILL manifest.  In this case, that is exactly what happened.

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In Culture, Engage Your Team, Leading
June 26, 2013
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My Boss Stole My Idea At Work – Now What?

June 13, 2013

MY-BOSS-STOLE-MY-IDEA

“Hey Mr. Bossman!  I have a great idea about how we can improve our company……”

“Well, Mr. employee, that seems a little out there.  Let me think about it.”

Two months or even two years later…

Mr. Bossman says: “Good afternoon Team!  We are here today to implement this great new idea that I have.”  Hooray!

In my experience, it’s pretty common to hear from people who feel like their boss or even a team member has stolen their idea without giving them credit for it.  The bad part about this is that it can leave a tension between people that can stick around like a student loan.  So, how do you deal with that?

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In Culture, Engage Your Boss, Engage Your Team, Leading
June 13, 2013
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How Entitlement Is Choking The Fruits of Your Career

June 5, 2013

HEALTH ROOTS MAKE HEALTHY FRUITS

Have you ever found out that a co-worker makes more money than you?  Worse yet, was it someone that isn’t even as good as you are?  That’s a real bummer, but let me explain why it doesn’t really matter…

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In Culture, Engage Your Team, Motivation
June 5, 2013
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Does Size Matter When It Comes To Culture?

May 29, 2013

CULTURE IS THE WIND IN YOUR SAILS

Last week I sat down with a friend and small business owner over coffee.  At one point, my friend made a comment, that I didn’t know how to respond to.  He said, “how can you worry about culture with only four employees?”.

To be honest, I hadn’t really thought about it myself, which is why I didn’t know how to respond.

That’s when I decided to write this article first.  Sometimes, it’s better for me to think through a new topic by writing about it before I can fully grasp my position.  Otherwise, I risk answering without considering all the alternatives.

Anyway, there’s the question.  Does it matter how many employees you have when it comes to organizational culture?

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In Culture, Engage Your Team, People ,
May 29, 2013
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