“Those
who say that all cultures are equal
never
explain why the results of those cultures
are
so grossly unequal.” –Thomas Sowell
Last
time I wrote that my company had started a new Employee Recognition
Program. I mentioned that it was tied to
our Values, and that I had written some micro-stories and essays for the
program. What I find interesting today is
that no one asked why. Why would you tie
your recognition program to your Values?
The
answer is that we want to create a culture that reflects who we are, who we
want to be, and that rewards people when they demonstrate their commitment to our
values. In short, we believe that
culture really does matter—because results matter. They really do.
In
the business world this has been accepted as fact for quite some time. Numerous studies have shown that companies
that deliberately work to create a specific culture are much more successful
than those who leave it to chance.
“How
can that be”, you ask. “Aren’t all
cultures equal? Isn’t the best culture
‘multi-culture’?”
No,
not exactly. Cultures are based on
shared values. When shared values are
missing, so is the commitment to the group. Each individual strives to get ahead, and
without the mitigating influence of shared values, the group is left to
flounder helplessly as each individual tries to pull everyone in his or her
direction. Without values agreement there can
be no right, no wrong.
High
performing groups, on the other hand, consistently demonstrate two
characteristics: Everyone understands
the mission, and everyone shares the same values. So, in the absence of further guidance,
individual members consistently make better decisions for the advantage of the
entire group.
One
culture, striving to reach an agreed upon goal.
It works.
“But
isn’t that discrimination?” you ask. In
a manner of speaking, yes. We are
looking for people who show Respect for one another; who live their lives with
Integrity; who have Spirit: who demonstrate Excellence; and who care about
Stewardship. If you don’t want to be
like that, then, yeah, you don’t fit.
Here
is the key: We don’t want
“multi-cultural”, but we do want “multi-ethnic”. We want “multi-gender”. We want “multi-generational”. We want “multi-faith”.
And,
in my company, you will see that. We are
Indian, Black, White, Hispanic, and Asian.
We are men and women; heterosexual and homosexual. We are Christian, Jew, Moslem, Nativist,
Pantheist, Deist, Taoist, Buddhist, Hindu, Rastafarian, agnostic, and atheist. We are old, young, and middle-aged.
And
you are welcome to be any of that, or something else altogether. We don’t care. What we do care is that you have Respect,
Integrity, Spirit, Excellence, and Stewardship.
They are the non-negotiables. They form the basis for our culture. This is how we wish to live. They tell us what is bad and what is good,
what is desirable, and what is undesirable.
If these values represent who you are, and who you wish to be, you are
welcome here. If these values don’t
resonate with you, then yes, it is better for you to go. No hard feelings. No ill wishes. But you just won’t fit. “You don’t have to go
home” as the old saying goes, “but you can’t stay here.”
