Workplace Culture
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When your culture is your competition

I was thinking of all of you who have heard me talk about the 'Ten Mistakes Companies Make When Working With Culture' as i was reading a recent pre-release article from the book 'Why We Hate Oil Companies' due out May 25
The book is written by ex Shell Oil President & founder of the nonprofit association 'Citizens for Affordable Energy' John Hofmeister

The article is a great read giving a high level insiders view of why, he believes, oil companies are on a hiding to nothing when it comes to being respected/trusted/believed in their communities (business or social)

At one point in the article Hofmeister gives a great example of mistake #5 of my 'Ten Mistakes Companies Make When Working With Culture' which is 'Fail to plan for (your) Culture being your competition.' In summing up his example he says:

 


At one point in the article Hofmeister gives a great example of mistake #5 of my 'Ten Mistakes Companies Make When Working With Culture' which is 'Fail to plan for (your) Culture being your competition.' In summing up his example he says:

"When the person wearing your logo sees your company as the problem, you know you are in trouble. All large companies — not just oil companies — need to think carefully about the way they are perceived by customers, suppliers, retailers, and other stakeholders. Corporate behaviors of all kinds are being scrutinized much more closely today than they were in the past, and the public face that a company presents has never been more crucial to its long-term fortunes. Perhaps the most important lesson that I learned during my years at Shell — and especially during my listening tour — is that companies need to take their own messages seriously, so that others will as well. Are the messages that are sent out what we really believe? Or are we merely saying things that we hope will give us a temporary advantage?"

number_5

 

There you have it. An internal company culture doing way more damage than external competition. Check out mistake #5 for yourself. Get some people from your company together (or sit in front of the mirror if you are a sole practitioner) and explore examples of where/how your workplace culture is a competitor rather than a supporter.

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