“Writing about our culture makes it real.” My colleague made this observation during a recent conversation we were having about our company’s culture. She explained how it gives people the ability to articulate our culture, to label it if you will, in addition to feeling it. “The stories we share help people understand who we are, what we stand for and the values we will not compromise.”
Being one who often can’t see past his own nose, I was intrigued by my friend’s feedback. I grew up believing that actions speak louder than words and that the stories we all told were just that…stories. I failed to recognize that these stories, both written and verbalized, enable employees to talk about our culture in more concrete terms and to make better choices as different situations arise. Indeed, words can be just as powerful as actions.
This year, I encourage you to become one of your company’s “Chief Story-Tellers.” Don’t try to define your culture. Tell stories that reflect who you are and what you want for the people around you. Defining your culture is impossible anyway. Your employees get to do that…and they do so based on your actions, your deeds, and your stories.
Be intentional about it…
Leave a Reply