Darrell L. Browning is a principal founder of BrowningLaFrankie LLC, a Philadelphia-area based company specializing in helping companies manage crises, train leaders in media and presentation skills and facilitate strategic change through leadership development and organizational development traning, workshops and individual coaching. Browning is the trainer-of-choice for The Wharton School MBA Program at the University of Pennsylvania in crisis communications, media training and business writing. A journalist by profession, Browning has more than 20 years of media experience with CBS-Radio, daily newspapers and national magazines. He holds degrees in Journalism and Social Sciences from The Ohio State University. For more information see http://www.browninglafrankie.com.
By Darrell L. Browning
Company cultures are like church: no one wants it to change. That's not a bad thing, either--especially when you operate a family-owned business built upon time-honored traditional values. Or perhaps your business was built on delivering exceptional, personalized service which you have successfully branded into your marketing campaign. But along with growth come problems.
Recently we have seen instances where family-owned businesses have brought in new executives to help grow the business. These executives professed a love of the "old" culture from the "cut-throat" culture of the corporate environment from whence they came. They also had skills which the family-owned business needed to make the business grow. And yet a curious thing happened. These same executives began to exhibit the exact behavior they insisted they loathed so much in their old business environments. How come? To find out why this occurs--and to stop this kind of behavior from distilling or destroying the very culture that built your business--consider the following:
· Cultures are not Self-Sustaining. Cultures can be adapted; modified; changed and dismissed by new executives with different cultures. Company cultures must be maintained, practiced and exhibited by leaders.
· Cultures are not Passive. Company cultures that last are directed to last. In other words, if it's important, you have to say so--loudly--and back it up.
· Change is Constant. Cultures are under constant fire brought on by the necessity to respond with new and sometimes unique ways to the business at hand. Realizing this will help you devise communication strategies to reinforce your company culture as necessary.
· Cultures Must be Aligned. Cultures must be supported by additional communications. Cultures should be closely aligned with Vision, Commitment, Core Values and Mission.
· Cultures Require Constant Feedback. NASA invented the term feedback: it describes what they did to correct a missile or craft that had gone off-course to get it back on track. Maintaining positive company cultures works no differently: if those executives begin aiming missiles where you don't want them to go, provide feedback to get them back on course.
Keep in mind that cultures take a long time--some experts say seven years--to change. This may work in your favor if you are seeking to preserve a culture yet against you when you are trying to implement organizational change.
In the meantime, remind those executives who still think they are at their previous company that you do things differently--and then explain why. Be sure to point out the value of your culture to the business and how it relates to everything you hope to accomplish.
For more information see http://www.browninglafrankie.com.
©BrowningLaFrankie 2007
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