Do You Have A Culture Gap?

* In this issue: Finding the Gap

* Less than 295 words, a two minute read.

Most of us have read countless books on culture and its importance to a vibrant healthy company organization. Culture commonly defined is the way of doing things in companies; it’s the disposition, the attitude, the company talks on in doing its business.

Culture can be good and culture can be bad and it can be totally great! But for many companies there is a culture gap; that is defined as the gap between what we expect and what is reality. This can be a divide between management and employees, between the company and its clients, between the company and its vendors and even between team members within the company.

Consider these 20 opposing culture viewpoints on a scale of 5: Rate your company using them.

Client focused 1 2 3 4 5 Profit Focused

Proactive 1 2 3 4 5 Reactive

Quality 1 2 3 4 5 Speed

Process First 1 2 3 4 5 People First

TEAM (We) 1 2 3 4 5 Individuals (Me)

Collaborative 1 2 3 4 5 Go Solo

Solve Problems 1 2 3 4 5 Avoid Problems

Fun PlaceToWork 1 2 3 4 5 Serious PlaceTo

Rewards Success 1 2 3 4 5 Expects Success

Organized 1 2 3 4 5 Free Wheeling

Mutual Respect 1 2 3 4 5 Critical, Demanding

Whatever it Takes 1 2 3 4 5 Ask the Boss

Life Balance 1 2 3 4 5 Work is #1

Service Matters 1 2 3 4 5 It’s a Requir'ment

Time is Important 1 2 3 4 5 Time’s not important

Treat everyone fair 1 2 3 4 5 Be Inconsistent

Growth is Key 1 2 3 4 5 Play Not to Lose

Open Communications 1 2 3 4 5 Hold close to Vest

Cares about employees 1 2 3 4 5 Cares about the business

Great Dept. Relations 1 2 3 4 5 Departmental Walls

As an owner/operator, you may have a different view than your team members; it might useful to have them rate the same items of your culture. Feel free to add ones you are passion about and take some off the list. The point is to see if there are material differences in perception of what your culture is.

Feedback is always useful in making a difference. We hope this helps.