Building a Sustainable Corporate Culture

Creating a positive, sustainable corporate culture is often one of the biggest challenges that companies face. You may know what you want but clearly articulating that to your team in a way they will remember and apply can be daunting.  And how do you ensure that your culture is so well defined that it can sustain the growth you hope for without becoming diluted or forgotten amidst bottom lines and product development? Here are 5 ways to create a sustainable culture:1. Collaborate.Don’t dictate your culture to others. Instead, have your key players work with you and create your desired culture together. Having a team you can trust, and who knows their opinions are valued, will greatly contribute to your success.2. Create a one page strategic plan.Start with a basic SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) with your team or key players. Then create measurable goals and discuss how you will define your success. Your plan should be clear, concise, and fit on one page. Revisit this plan regularly to ensure your team is on track. If not, realign or use it as an opportunity to reset your strategy.3. Define your mission.Have a simple yet well defined mission statement. It should create a vision for the future but also have a measurable outcome. The ATV team had several drafts and conversations before we came up with ours.4. Overtly state your values.Know your values. State them and restate them. Make them simple and easy to remember. At ATV we have them printed on our key card lanyards, have each member sign a Values Agreement, have them posted on our Members Page and have started a Member of the Month award for a community member best demonstrating those values. The more we can reinforce our values, the better. Our values dictate our culture.5. Be authentic.Don’t create a culture that you can’t live by. Values are set from the top down and they need to be something you can demonstrate daily. Simply put, create a place where people WANT to be and celebrate those that help contribute to your desired culture. Use humor, have some fun, and trust your team.What do you think contributes most to a positive, sustainable corporate culture?