What is organizational culture? Someone has said that the definition of culture is the way we do things around here. Haven´t you noticed when you come into a new environment that you start recognizing different things that people tend to do? 

It could be how people dress, talk, behave towards each other, and so forth. The culture is forming the norms and standards within the company. Since the majority of people want to fit in, we are very adaptive to embrace these behaviors, and that is one of the reasons why value-based leadership is so strong. Applied correctly, you can unleash a tremendous power within an organization just by changing the culture.

Culture eats structure for breakfast, and I have experienced that as a leader. I once had an employee that spontaneously stood up in front of everyone in a meeting and said that “I just want to say that I am so grateful for working together with you guys.” Imagine the engagement and power such a team poses.

When you have seen the benefits of a robust organizational culture, you will always try to recreate it when you come to a new organization or department as a leader.

The benefits of a healthy organizational culture are many. First of all, you will have a higher profitability than other companies in your field. The employer engagement, loyalty, and trust will also be high. 

However, changing an organizational culture takes time. It is like the analogy of trying to get a big fly-wheel into motion. You need a lot of energy in the beginning, but once it is moving, it just takes a small portion of the initial effort to keep it in motion.

The same is valid for an organization, and it is the leader who is the driving force. Since a cultural change is hard to achieve, the culture can live on even if the original leader is gone. People working in the culture pass the culture on to the new people coming into the company.

Instructions, processes, or procedures will never get you the result of excellence that you want. Instead, it is the people in your organization that will create outstanding results, and for that, you need to have the right culture.

Here are the guiding words that I have implemented and that I want my organization to be known for:

1. We give each other credit

2. We help others to succeed

3. We are proactive

4. We work together

5. We appreciate one other

6. We work on our personal growth

7. We are grateful

8. We manage the risk

9. Take the flag. (Take responsibility and step forward and initiate action)

Start to explain the reasons why you want to implement these value words and what the benefits are. 

Some of the people will understand, and others will be more skeptical. Once you start relating the positive results generated back to these value words, more people will understand the connection.

I also every year announce a culture warrior, a person who is a role model when it comes to living the value word. The nomination procedure, usually occurs before Christmas, together with my appreciation speech to the employees. Several times I have had people start crying of joy for being recognized as my warriors.

These role models carry the value words further out in the organization, and the culture gets stronger.

There are many ways to reinforce your value words, and you have to repeat them in order for them to stick. Otherwise, they will not come alive and just become words on a piece of paper.

One thing is for sure, though, culture eats structure for breakfast. If you want to achieve an outstanding result, you should start creating your own value word. Value-based leadership is the way to enhance the organizational culture of your company.