MOST Analysis

Mission Statement

The basis of any successful company is its culture. Before you plan to construct a building, you need to select a solid and sturdy ground on which your Real Estate Investment will be built. If you select soft ground, your building may not stand up for long. The opposite is also true: a solid terrain with a firm and solid underground will provide your structure strength and will stand up against any assault and demise. That is exactly what your Company Culture is all about: a solid ground on which everything else stands. One of the easy measurements of a great organization is: are your people excited to come to work every morning? Emphasize your cultural basis on collaboration, innovation, transparency, engagement, productivity, and team results. Forget about Rules and Regulations. Replace those with a brief list of guidelines that everyone can easily remember.

An organization’s culture consists of four components, all manifested in how people in the organization interact each day with each other and with customers and other stakeholders.

There are four critical components to a great Company Culture:

1. MISSION / Why are you in existence? What is the purpose of your organization?
2. VISION / Where are you heading? Do you have a clear picture?
3. CORE BELIEFS / Customer-Centric Organization / Love Your People
4. YOUR PEOPLE. Love Your People.

Organizational culture is an important deciding factor for whether a business can succeed, or it may fail. A healthy culture has more engaged employees, higher profits, faster growth, increased productivity, greater innovation, and lower employee turnover.

Great cultures exist and persist because they are sailing in a watertight boat with all instruments working properly and a skilled crew at the helm. Organizations without great cultures have leaks and/or the instruments do not provide the necessary insight. The key here is to have a focused and systematic approach if that culture is going to be intentionally created and well-maintained.

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Objectives

01. Mission Statement: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
02. Vision Statement: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
03. Strong Leadership: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
04. Employee Empowerment: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
05. Open Communication: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
06. Trust And Respect: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
07. Continuous Learning And Development: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. 1 Month
08. Work-Life Balance: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
09. Diversity And Inclusion: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
10. Recognition And Rewards: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
11. Collaboration And Teamwork: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
12. Ethical And Social Responsibility: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month

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Strategies

01. Mission Statement: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
02. Vision Statement: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
03. Strong Leadership: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
04. Employee Empowerment: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
05. Open Communication: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
06. Trust And Respect: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
07. Continuous Learning And Development: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
08. Work-Life Balance: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
09. Diversity And Inclusion: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
10. Recognition And Rewards: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
11. Collaboration And Teamwork: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
12. Ethical And Social Responsibility: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.

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Tasks

01. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Mission Statement.
02. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Vision Statement.
03. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Strong Leadership.
04. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Employee Empowerment.
05. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Open Communication.
06. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Trust And Respect.
07. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Continuous Learning And Development.
08. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Work-Life Balance.
09. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Diversity And Inclusion.
10. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Recognition And Rewards.
11. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Collaboration And Teamwork.
12. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Ethical And Social Responsibility.

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Introduction

What is the hype and excitement everyone seems to be talking about this thing called “Corporate Culture”? You may have heard a few things here and there about Corporate Culture, but very few can define it clearly so we can understand it and really “get it.”

The success of your organization depends largely
on its Corporate Culture.

With the right leadership, a positive Corporate Culture can spread throughout the workplace. Leaders need to be able to encourage and foster a positive Corporate Culture to keep employees motivated and engaged.

If you have not yet defined, implemented, or fine-tuned your Corporate Culture, you will – most likely – not be as successful as your competitors who have done a wonderful job in this area. Furthermore, and most likely, you will not attract impressive talent that you need if you want to have a successful business.

So, why is it important to have a great and strong Corporate Culture? It is amazing to see that some leaders have a great and clearly defined culture at home with their family members and yet, the same people fail to create and nurture a great culture in their business.

Having a strong culture requires a continuous nurturing and improvement process. You always need to keep your culture on the front burner – never on the back burner! It is a never-ending process – you nurture and improve your culture as long as you grow your business. The question is: how do you improve your Corporate Culture where everyone participates in and takes ownership of it?

Some leaders have the wrong idea about company culture. They will argue that it is enough to offer free coffee, have some popcorn on Friday afternoon, orchestrate an annual Christmas Party, and be done with it. That’s all they think needs to be done for a good company culture. Do you think you can attract great talent with that kind of company culture?

A successful corporate culture is built upon a combination of various components that contribute to a positive work environment, employee engagement, and overall organizational success. While the importance of specific components may vary depending on the industry and company, this publication shows twelve key components that are often considered crucial for a successful corporate culture. Although every care has been taken, these twelve components are not exhaustive, and the specific components that contribute to a successful corporate culture can vary depending on the organization’s values, industry, and context.

A well selected set of aspects contributes to a positive corporate culture that attracts and retains talent, drives employee engagement and satisfaction, and leads to organizational success.

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Why is it important to have a Great Corporate Culture?

Having a well-defined corporate culture is important for several reasons:

1. Identity and Belonging:
Corporate culture defines the collective identity and values of an organization. It creates a sense of belonging and provides employees with a shared direction and purpose. A strong culture helps employees identify with the organization, feel connected to its mission, and align their values and behaviors accordingly.

2. Employee Engagement and Retention:
A positive corporate culture promotes employee engagement and retention. When employees feel connected to the culture and believe in the organization’s value, they are more likely to be motivated, committed, and satisfied in their roles. A culture that fosters a supportive and inclusive work environment helps attract and retain top talent.

3. Productivity and Performance:
A healthy corporate culture contributes to increased productivity and performance. When employees feel valued, empowered, and motivated, they are more likely to go above and beyond in their work. A positive culture promotes collaboration, innovation, and a focus on continuous improvement, leading to higher efficiency, quality, and overall organizational success.

4. Organizational Reputation:
Corporate culture plays a significant role in shaping an organization’s reputation and brand image. A strong culture that prioritizes ethics, integrity, and social responsibility enhances the organization’s reputation among customers, partners, and the community. A positive reputation attracts stakeholders, fosters trust, and opens doors to new opportunities.

5. Decision-Making and Consistency:
A well-defined corporate culture provides a framework for decision-making. It guides employees and leaders in making choices that align with the organization’s values and goals. A culture that emphasizes consistency and shared norms helps ensure that decisions are made in a coherent and unified manner, promoting organizational stability and alignment.

6. Innovation and Adaptability:
A positive corporate culture encourages innovation and adaptability. A culture that values creativity, risk-taking, and learning fosters an environment where employees are encouraged to think outside the box, explore new ideas, and embrace change. This enables the organization to stay agile, responsive, and competitive in a rapidly evolving business landscape.

7. Customer Satisfaction:
A strong corporate culture has a positive impact on customer satisfaction. When employees are engaged, motivated, and aligned with the organization’s values, they are more likely to provide exceptional customer service and deliver products or services that meet or exceed customer expectations. A culture that prioritizes customer focus contributes to long-term customer loyalty and advocacy.

8. Attracting and Retaining Talent:
A strong corporate culture acts as a magnet for top talent. Job seekers are attracted to companies that prioritize employee well-being, growth, and a positive work environment. Additionally, a great culture helps retain valuable employees, reducing turnover and the associated costs.

9. Enhanced Performance:
A culture that promotes teamwork, open communication, and collaboration can lead to improved performance. Employees work more effectively together, share knowledge, and solve problems collectively, contributing to better outcomes for the company.

10. Long-Term Success:
Companies with a strong corporate culture tend to experience sustained success over the long term. Such organizations are better equipped to navigate challenges, attract resources, and capitalize on opportunities.

In summary, having a corporate culture is important because it creates a sense of identity and belonging, promotes employee engagement and retention, enhances productivity and performance, shapes organizational reputation, guides decision-making, fosters innovation and adaptability, and contribute to customer satisfaction. A well-defined and positive corporate culture is the foundation for a thriving and successful organization.

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Executive Summary

The Challenges of Maintaining a Great Company Culture

Think of culture like the glue that holds a book together. Once you remove the glue from the back spine of a book, it falls apart quickly and it becomes exceedingly difficult to put it back in a proper shape and order.

You need an action plan that ensures you maintain a strong culture at your organization – even (or especially) when your business grows, scales, and adds more people to your company. As you add more people to your company, the need for a solid and great culture increases substantially. Even wrong hire can derail the status quo or the culture of your company. Hire the right people who will fully support your company culture. Also, the more people you add to your company, the more information and culture initiatives have to travel through your communication channels, which can lead to things getting lost in the conveyance of the messages.

Here are six approaches that you can use to maintain a great company culture as your business grows.

1. Make sure you have a set of clearly defined steps or elements that have a clear sense and understanding of what your culture is all about. It never is just one thing or one particular ingredient that makes a great culture – it always is a set between 4 and 12 components (in some cases even more, depending on the size and complexity of the organization). You cannot maintain a culture if you do not have a clearly defined and established set of values, beliefs, and attitudes. Regardless if you have 10 or 100 or 1,000 employees, you need to make sure your company culture remains consistent. Although you may want to update or “fine tune” your cultural statement, it is a clever idea to visit your written set of cultural value statements at least once a year.

2. Integrate your company culture into your recruiting, interviewing and onboarding process. Make sure that every candidate and every newly hired person thoroughly understands and accepts your cultural values and beliefs. That means you should only hire people who are a great (or nearly perfect) match to your company’s cultural values. Give a detailed presentation (and a clearly written set of cultural values) to each candidate you wish you select for intensive interview steps. You may want to include the most important parts of your culture in the various job descriptions that you post. You need to make sure that every candidate is thoroughly probed and quizzed for a proper fit. It is much easier to reject a candidate early instead of firing an employee after the hiring date if there is not a good match. You need to make sure everyone understands what kind of company you are and what you expect from every employee. Make it clear. Put it in writing.

3. Consider having a Culture Manager on your staff. The growing companies and the larger companies have a Culture Manager on their staff, particularly if their HR department are too busy managing so many other tasks. Maintaining a healthy and strong company culture can be a full-time job. If a great culture is important to your organization, you may want to get a professional Culture Manager on bard to lead the charge. Having a professional Culture Manager on board will not only maintain your culture, but they can spot any potential issues or lack of clarity very early and prevent a derailment.

4. Talk to you people often. Your employees are the best reflection for giving you feedback of what is going on with the culture of your company and if it is changing. Listening to your people’s needs is always a great method to maintain a healthy culture in your company. You may want to talk to people individually behind closed doors, or you may want to send anonymous surveys to get their insights of what is working and what is not. You may also want to create a well-defined exit interview that provides you with additional insight. But the objective is the same: Your people want to be heard and you need to actively listen to them.

5. Be very clear in all your communication. Communication is another key component when you maintain your company culture. But be careful: People do not care about boosting profit and accelerating efficiency and productivity. Always talk from an employee perspective. The old saying holds so much value: “People do not care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” Do you show how much you care for your people?

6. Be open minded to modify your culture when necessary. As your company grows and expands, you may not necessarily be inflexible to keep the same culture. Your company culture needs to be revisited from time to time and be modified to the changing environment and business landscape. If you want your team to perform at its best, you need to be open minded to modify your culture, as necessary.

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Summary

For some company leaders, a corporate culture may be viewed as a touchy-feely-mushy type of concept. For some leaders, the more tangible metrics and KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) are more important than the soft side of the business – the people. The fact is, however, a great company culture is an absolute “MUST HAVE” for a business to thrive and to survive. If you cannot fully engage your people and if your people’s heart and soul are not with you, you will not prosper and flourish. Yes, that is how clearly it is: a great culture produces great people and great results.

Creating and cultivating a great company culture requires challenging work. You cannot just offer some goodies or snacks in the coffee room, a casual dress code, a virtual coffee or happy hour, an