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StrategyDriven Corporate Cultures Forum

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StrategyDriven Introduction to Corporate CulturesOrganization members share a collective values system reflected in managerial decisions, individual behaviors, and codified within operating procedures. These values are shaped by both individual beliefs and collective experiences. Taken together, these values form the corporation’s culture.

Corporate culture contributes or detracts from the organization’s success. Regardless of the company’s written objectives, the existing culture will drive the critical decisions and actions that ultimately determine whether or not these goals will be achieved. Therefore, it is not only important to critically and honestly identify the organization’s culture but to also assess the organization’s ability to achieve its mission goals via its chose strategy in light of its culture. Where gaps exist, either the culture or strategy must be changed in order to achieve optimal success.

Finally, it is important to recognize that there is no ‘right’ culture and that no one set of organizational values is superior to another. Rather, differing cultures each present a unique set of benefits and liabilities that should be identified, understood, and incorporated into the organization’s planning and execution process so to ensure optimal organizational effectiveness.

Focus of the Corporate Cultures Forum

Materials within this forum will address the methods to identify the organization’s values and the various value sets, their benefits and their drawbacks.

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The Focus Factor

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Several years ago, my youngest son won his first two matches to advance to the semi-finals of the Wisconsin State wrestling tournament the next day. Prior to his heading to the tournament we talked about what he wanted to accomplish at the tournament. This was a continuation of a discussion that began at the start of the season when he thought about… and… actually put his goals for the season in writing. Certainly not anything I ever did as a kid!

Our discussion got me thinking about how we often fail to have discussions about development goals with our kids… or our employees. The discussions tend to be more spur of the moment… not that it’s a bad thing to have discussions when the moment arises… but certainly no substitute for structured discussions that force the parties to think about where they want to go in their career.

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About the Author

Jeff Kortes is known as the ‘No Nonsense Guy.’ He is the President of Human Asset Management LLC, a human resource consulting firm specializing in executive search and leadership training. He has trained hundreds of first-line supervisors, managers, and executives during his career. His approach to training is no-nonsense, and practical.

Jeff is also a member of the National Speakers Association and a regular speaker on the topics of retention, recruiting and leadership. For more information, visit www.SlugProofYourTeam.com.

Corporate Cultures – Leader Initiated, Knowledge and Skills Controlled Environment

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The Leader Initiated, Knowledge and Skills Controlled Environment represents a unique cultural blend that develops over a long period of time. These organizations often begin as Leader Initiated, Documented Processes Controlled and, as the workforce gains experience over time, evolves into the use of less prescriptive processes; deeming them to be an unnecessary administrative burden. These organizations tend to have a relatively high tenure among executives, managers, and employees. This culture set benefits from experience-based efficiencies with limited consistency risk but often suffer a lack of creativity as employees perform work ‘the way it has always been done.’

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Return to the Corporate Cultures Forum

StrategyDriven Editorial Perspective – Here we go again… more government created uncertainty

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As we enter this last week of September, America faces another looming government shutdown. The continuing resolution that currently funds the Federal government’s activities expires at 11:59 pm the evening of September 30 – the end of the last day of the government’s fiscal year. Republicans and Democrats have once again dug in to their partisan positions; creating an uncertainty regarding the operation of our government institutions, the funding of programs, and the paying of social security, veteran benefits and military salaries.

StrategyDriven has long maintained that politicians are primarily responsible for the great uncertainty hindering economic expansion and prosperity – and we believe history supports our assertion. The following video is that of a lecture made by Nobel Laureate and Economist Milton Friedman. In his discussion, Dr. Friedman reveals how the government, and in particular the Federal Reserve, was largely responsible for the Great Depression. He goes on to illustrate how Federal Reserve actions also caused the hyper inflation experienced in the late 1970s.

The purpose of this editorial is not to suggest a specific course of action. Instead it’s purpose is to suggest a need to closely monitor the government’s fiscal policies and to draw from historical perspectives how those policies may impact our economy and your business’s future.

Can’t Live With ’em (But Can’t Live Without ‘Em): How to Manage – and Motivate – Challenging Employees

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If you’ve ever watched NBC’s The Office, you know that the show makes hilarious use of business-world stereotypes. Granted, the personalities, quirks, and antics of the employees of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company are taken to extremes, but we find them funny largely because they’re true. We know that guy – the one who cracks terrible joke after terrible joke, unaware that all he’s getting are eye rolls.

We’ve also encountered the sanctimonious perfectionist, the attention-seeking prima donna, the unhelpful duty-shirker, and many others.

Sure, it’s funny on TV… but in the real world, dealing with these characters can make leaders want to pull out their hair or throw in the towel entirely. Before you resign yourself to living in your own not-so-amusing TV show, let me offer some commonsense management advice.

First, know that there is no need for you to waste your time with poor performers or high maintenance employees who have an inflated sense of their own importance and ability.

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About the Authors

Michael Feuer cofounded OfficeMax in 1988 starting with one store and $20,000 of his own money, a partner, and a small group of investors. As CEO, he grew it to more than 1,000 stores worldwide with annual sales topping $5 billion. He is also CEO of Max-Ventures, a venture capital and retail consulting firm, and founder and CEO of Max-Wellness, a comprehensive health and wellness retail chain that launched in 2010. After opening initial laboratory test stores in Florida and Ohio, a national roll-out is now underway. To read Michael Feuer’s complete biography, click here.

Dustin S. Klein, contributor and editor of The Benevolent Dictator, is the publisher and executive editor of Smart Business Network, publishers of Smart Business, the nation’s second-largest chain of regional business publications. He has interviewed thousands of senior executives and civic leaders across America. He is a regular presenter on business-related issues for public and private business audiences and is a frequent guest on television, radio, and Internet programs. To read Dustin Klein’s complete biography, click here.