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2017 Issue 1 | THE SCORE
Culture
Continued from page 37
perceived culture and actual culture amazes me . I ’ ve worked with many companies who say they value attention to detail , yet the physical evidence screams chaos and sloppiness . Other companies say they value creativity and personal expression while the physical evidence suggests that they really value conformity .
Imagine further that I , the archeologist , discover some of your company ’ s training materials , such as handbooks and videos . ( These could be analogous to cultural writings of a civilization .) In essence , these writings document corporate values and priorities . As I go through these materials with a fine-toothed comb , I discover what this civilization ( your company ) taught its youth ( your new hires ).
Tell me something : Would the emphasis of these materials lead me to come to the conclusions you want me to ?
Most of my consulting work is in the customer service realm . One of my first requests when working with an organization is to see their new hire training materials . Many organizations that claim to value service excellence often spend little to no training time on the subject .
For instance , one “ service-oriented ” company had a two-day new hire program . As I poured through the training materials , I kept hoping to find some content regarding customer service . Finally I found some – about 15 minutes worth of material in the entire two days . Sure , the other material was important , but customer service clearly took a backseat to everything else . The evidence ( artifacts ) did not point to a service-oriented company .
Become Your Company ’ s Indiana Jones Now it ’ s time for you to don the safari hat a la Indiana Jones . Look at your organization as an archaeologist would . You can do this by yourself or with a team of people .
First , review your company ’ s mission , vision and values . ( Most companies have them on a laminated card somewhere .) Then , just take a walk through the organization . If it ’ s a hospital , start in the parking lot and walk through each floor of the hospital . If it ’ s a bank , start in the parking lot and walk through each branch , making sure to drive through the teller windows as well . If it ’ s a manufacturing plant , walk the floor of the plant .
The key is to travel through all areas of the organization . Pay particular attention to employee areas since they often provide some of the best evidence of a company ’ s real culture . See if the physical evidence aligns with your stated mission , vision and values . You may be surprised at the discrepancies you discover .
Do you say you value diversity ? Take a look at the photos on the “ executive wall of fame .” Do you say you value respect for employees ? Take a look at the quality of the employee break room . Do you say you value creativity ? Take a look at the sea of uniform cubicles . Remember , you can ’ t go by what people say in this exercise ; you can only go by what you see , the physical evidence .
Here are some questions to get you started :
• What do our customer areas say we value ? Look at the furniture , the pictures , the layout of the area , the fixtures , the restroom , etc . Do they match your ideals ?
• What do our employee areas say we value ? Examine your offices , cubicles , break rooms , cafeterias and locker rooms . Do you like what you see ?
• What do our training materials and training facilities say we value ? Read training materials with fresh eyes , as if you ’ ve never seen them before . Would a new hire be able to “ catch ” your intended corporate vision simply from reading these materials ?
• What does our hiring process say we value ? If “ right fit talent ” is a value in your company , yet you find no physical evidence of a documented behavioral interviewing process , there is a disconnect .
Be critical as you play the archaeologist role . Be objective . Don ’ t make excuses such as , “ Well , I know we talk about customer service in new hire orientation , we just don ’ t have it written down .” This is the time to scrutinize , to examine , to do some in-depth exploring .
Final Thoughts
A culture can never be wished into existence . It takes action and artifacts to make it happen . When Indiana Jones went exploring , he didn ’ t find wishes . He found stuff . This stuff led him to other stuff and eventually helped him to draw conclusions about the culture that had left that stuff behind ( and to make a great movie in the process , as well !).
If an Indiana Jones were to discover your office place , what kind of stuff would he find ? Would his conclusions about your corporate culture be what you ’ d like them to be ? Or would the artifacts you left behind lead him to imagine a completely different culture ?
When artifacts match aims , and when actions back up values , the results are incredible . Not too long ago I had the opportunity to work with a hospital that lived out its values , and it was a delightful experience .
This hospital had “ appreciation ” stated as one of its values , but this value was more than just stated ; it was shining in every corner . Every employee I met reinforced this value , and I saw clues ( artifacts , if you will ) scattered throughout the building to back up the hospital ’ s claim . Compliment boxes in the hallways , for instance , where patients and hospital employees alike could drop thank-yous for other employees . In an employee corridor , I found whiteboards with markers for employees to write compliments to each other . These whiteboards were filled with the most wonderful compliments , ranging from “ Thanks for covering my shift ” to “ Thanks for cleaning up the patient ’ s room after the ‘ incident .’” Some comments were funny and some were touching , but all expressed appreciation . It made me feel good just to read them , and I didn ’ t even work there .
It was artifacts like these whiteboards that led me to the singular conclusion , “ This hospital has a culture that values appreciation .”
And amazingly , I didn ’ t need anyone to tell me that . S
DENNIS SNOW is the president of Snow & Associates Inc . Dennis worked with the Walt Disney World Co . for 20 years and now consults with organizations around the world , helping them achieve their customer service goals . He is the author of “ Unleashing Excellence : The Complete Guide to Ultimate Customer Service ” and “ Lessons From the Mouse : A Guide for Applying Disney World ’ s Secrets of Success to Your Organization , Your Career , and Your Life .” You can reach Dennis at 407-294-1855 or visit his website at www . snowassociates . com .