Strengthening our Culture
To enable our journey from good to great!
Emissary Info Services (P) Ltd
Agenda
1. The Secret Ingredient2. Cultures of Marquee companies3. Emissary Info way of culture shaping4. What Now?, Why? & Why Me?5. Q&A
“The secret Ingredient”he secret Ingredient”
Corporate Enigmas
How does a little company headquartered in Bentonville Arkansas become one of the largest retailers in the world with more than $315 billion in sales (Wal-Mart)?
How does a company selling a commodity product grow from $122 million in sales to more than $5 billion in slightly more than a decade (Starbucks)?
How does a company retain its vitality for more than 100 years (GE)?
How does a company with a dominant market position (more than 42% market share) fall from grace over a period of 20 years (General Motors)?
The Revelation…….
Corporate Culture - The Invisible Asset (Or Liability!)
"Every excellent company we studied is clear on what it stands for, and takes the process
of value shaping seriously. In fact, we wonder whether it is possible to be an
excellent company without clarity on values and without having the right sorts of
beliefs."
Tom Peters & Bob Waterman, Jr. In Search of Excellence
What is Organizational Culture?
Culture is “corporate personality”The underlying values, beliefs, and
norms which govern the behavior of people as members of an organization.
Cultures of Marquee Cultures of Marquee companiescompanies
Ritz-Carlton Values
“The Ritz-Carlton Hotel is a place where the genuine care and comfort of our guests is our highest mission.
We pledge to provide the finest personal service and facilities for our guests who will always enjoy a warm, relaxed yet refined ambience.
The Ritz-Carlton experience enlivens the senses, instills well-being, and fulfills even the unexpressed wishes and needs of our guests”.
Ritz-Carlton Beliefs
“We are Ladies and GentlemenServing
Ladies and Gentlemen”
Yahoo’s Values
Excellence:We are committed to winning with integrity. We
know leadership is hard won and should never be taken for granted. We aspire to flawless execution
and don't take shortcuts on quality. We seek the best talent and promote its development. We are flexible
and learn from our mistakes.
Teamwork:We treat one another with respect and communicate
openly. We foster collaboration while maintaining individual accountability. We encourage the best
ideas to surface from anywhere within the organization. We appreciate the value of multiple
perspectives and diverse expertise.
Yahoo’s Values
Innovation: We thrive on creativity and ingenuity. We seek the
innovations and ideas that can change the world. We anticipate market trends and move quickly to
embrace them. We are not afraid to take informed, responsible risk.
Community: We share an infectious sense of mission to make an impact on society and empower consumers in ways never before possible. We are committed to serving
both the Internet community and our own communities.
Google: Corporate values
1. Focus on the user and all else will follow.
The interface is clear and simple. Pages load instantly. Placement in search results is never sold to anyone. Advertising on the site must offer relevant content
and not be a distraction.
2. It's best to do one thing really, really well.
Google does search. Gmail, Google Desktop, and Google Maps => bring
the power of search to previously unexplored areas.
Google: Corporate values
3. Fast is better than slow.
* Google believes in instant gratification.
4. Democracy on the web works.
* PageRank™ evaluates all of the sites linking to a web page and assigns them a value.
5. You don't need to be at your desk to need an answer.
* PDAs, wireless phones or automobiles.
Google: Corporate values
6. You can make money without doing evil.* relevant ads* non-manipulative ads
7. There's always more information out there.* images, PDF files, Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. * HTML for mobile phones.
8. The need for information crosses all borders.*restrict results to pages written in more than 35 languages.* translation feature.* Google's interface can be customized into more than 100 languages.
Google: Corporate values
9. You can be serious without a suit.* work should be challenging and the challenge should be fun.* emphasis on team achievements and pride in individual accomplishments.* ideas are traded, tested and put into practice.
* give the proper tools to a group of people who like to make a difference, and they will.
10. Great just isn't good enough.* innovation and iteration. * anticipate the needs and meet them with products and services that set new standards.
IBM Core “Values”
Respect for the individual. Excellence in customer service. Excellence in everything we do
The Secret to Wal*Mart’s Success: Its Culture
Two key Dimensions of “The Wal*Mart Way”
Respect for the individual, and
Focus upon the customer.
The Difference Between “Real” and “Stated” Cultures
Stated Culture: What we say our culture is with respect to how we treat our customers, our people, and the standards we have.
Real Culture: The culture that our employees “live and breathe.”
IBM Stated versus Real Culture
Stated Culture: Respect for the individual. Excellence in customer service. Excellence in everything we do.
Real Culture (“Organizational Reciprocity”): “You take care of IBM, and IBM will take
care of you.”
Emissary Info way of Culture Shaping
Subscription to a philosophy ( Aristotle, Kant, Mills)
State the core values: » Based on common values (People managers)
Define behaviors, both desired and not desired: » Based on values and experiences.
Establish sustaining practices:» Remind, reinforce and review
Questions you have to answer
Core values1. What do you feel are your core values 2. What behavior you expect out of your colleagues 3. What behavior you expect out of your managers/seniors 4. What values you expect your organization to have?5. How would you want your company to be viewed by your
customers, shareholders, vendors, govt agencies? 6. How would you want your family to look at your organization
as? Code of conduct/behavior continuum (list of red, orange and
green behavioral patterns).1. In order to build best in class workplace: Could you
please list good behavior that should be encouraged and negative behavior around that should be stopped.
2. What do you think we should start doing, stop doing and continue to do (in terms of values such as: respect for individuals, honest organization, and creative organization)
Next steps
Compilation of core values and code of conduct ( prefd behavior at work)
Employee workshops: Naveen & Vasavi. Roll-out posters ( for walls and cubes) Roll-out policy ( discipline processes,
ethics council launch, contact #s)
Translation of values into practices – an example
Corporate Values Organization Practices Success Habits Taboos
1. We value respect for the individual
• Structured and objective accountability
• Recognition of whole person, work-life balance
• Career growth and growth opportunities based on capability
• Respect others opinions and perspectives
• Listening for understanding• Punctuality
• Discrimination or personal attack based on personal prejudices / sex / race / age
• Destructive gossip and rumour-mongering
• Lack of / Delays in feedback
2. We value our ability to create and exceed high client expectations
• Walk away from business if it is not in the best interest of the client
• Commitment to customer communication
• Documented client satisfaction measures
• Learn client’s business• Constantly seek new ways to
deliver value to clients• Operate from the clients
perspective
• “No problem” when there is one / Hiding bad news
• By-passing laid out processes and standards
• Sharing confidential information
3. We value honesty, integrity, and open and caring communication
• Regular forums for decision making, resolving issues and thinking through future company development.
• Organization-wide communication on priorities, performance and results
• Speak from the perspective of the listener
• Talk directly to those concerned about any subject or matter of concern
• Give regular and timely development feedback
• Not dealing with people who do not perform
• Not speaking up in meetings• Saying one thing and doing another
Why You?
"Our study of nearly 1,500 executives and managers provides solid evidence that
shared values between the individual and the company a major source of both
personal and organizational effectiveness."
Warren Schmidt & Barry Posner AMA Survey report
Why now?
“There is no time like Now”
“Consider any great corporation-- one that has lasted over the years -- I think you will find that it owes its resiliency
not to its form of organization or administration skills, but to the power of what we call beliefs and the appeal these
beliefs have for its people."
Thomas Watson, Sr. Founder, IBM
Measures of Success – Survey method
Cultural Alignment: Agreement with the proposed culture.
Behavioral Consistency: The extent to which behavior is consistent with the desired culture.
Cultural Gaps: The difference between the stated or desired culture for a given value and the actual or observed culture in practice.
» Questions?
» Reflections.
» Insights…
Back-up Slides
VISIBLE
ACTION
BEHAVIOR
HIDDENTHINKING
PHILOSOPHY, VALUES
Culture Metaphor
VISIBLE
ACTION
BEHAVIOR
HIDDEN
THINKING
PHILOSOPHY, VALUES
CULTURE
Culture Definition
Ethical Theories
Ethical Theories (cont.)
THANK YOU