As with core strength in the human body, a strong culture muscle is the central link in the chain that connects different parts of your organization. A weak core impairs movement and saps power; whereas a strong core cranks up power, enhances balance and stability, and prevents falls and injuries. A strong culture muscle will underpin almost everything that you business does. Where the first article in this series highlighted the importance of a strong culture muscle, this article will focus on some of the key elements and considerations in an effective culture core muscle building program.
In building a strong culture muscle, creating a program is a pivotal factor. It is important to identify a clear and attainable, yet ambitious program.
The first step in the process is to define objectives. When doing this, consider the following:
Once you have a clear idea of what a strong culture core muscle looks like in your organization, you need to plan your workouts. Only you know what the ebb and flow of work is like in your organization and how best to integrate culture workouts. Remember, whilst this program may be challenging in the short term - the long term benefits will be well worth it. Your culture muscle is the core strength of your business, building it needs to be a priority.
Some important things to consider:
A final thought. If you decide to do this, do it properly. Half-hearted workouts never get the desired results and we generally feel worse after them, rather than better. There will be times when you question whether all of the effort is worth it. I hear you, building your culture muscle requires a lot of work, but once it becomes a habit and you start seeing results, you will see how it was the best thing you could have ever done for yourself, your people, and your organization.
About Andy
A firm believer that 'Happy People Work Harder," Andy is driving the movement towards great company culture in South Africa, helping companies become Companies Behaving Awesomely. Building up the business case for great culture is core to her objective, which means she gets to spend a lot of time with Companies (already) Behaving Awesomely, drawing out their juiciest insights.
Whilst her focus is in South Africa at the moment, she's also busy with a Diploma in Spanish and a plan to take her work into other parts of the world in the not too distant future. As a sports fan and semi-adrenaline junkie, any free time not buried in books, is split between dancing (Hip-Hop and Salsa), Ultimate Frisbee, Yoga, and Krav Maga, as well as a recently discovered intrigue for rock-climbing. As you may have figured, she draws her inspiration from a pretty wide base!