Have you ever thought about your business or organization’s culture? Think of your favourite coffee shop or restaurant. It houses an atmosphere that keeps you coming back. If it’s a successfully franchised business, it’s likely that you experience the same culture in any of its locations. That culture is worth fighting for. It attracts business and maintains the company’s brand.
Every business has a culture. Some cultures repel customers; others attract them. Some attract the best employees; others repel them. As a leader—at work, at home, socially and with your volunteer time—you are creating a culture that either attracts or repels people.
Culture can be defined as “The behaviors and beliefs characteristic of a particular social, ethnic, or age group.” It is developed either by plan or by default. There is a culture in every area of your life whether you plan it or not. If you don’t take the time to think through the culture you’re creating, one is created for you…and it may not lead you to success. If your business struggles to maintain employees and customers, there’s something drastically wrong with the culture.
However, when you become a master architect of a winning culture, you become attractive and your business thrives. Great leaders don’t just work at leadership; they work at building culture.
According to North American statistics, about 3,000 churches permanently close their doors each year. Many church leaders have allowed their culture to default. As people become disinterested, pastors and clergy cannot afford to sit back and say, “But we’ve always done it this way.” They need to develop a culture that attracts the people they aim to reach—ever changing and innovative in the way they deliver services and programs. Otherwise they run the risk of becoming irrelevant.
The same holds true for business. Many great ideas and products fall by the wayside because organizations stop being relevant. The decline of Kodak comes to mind. Although Kodak invented the digital camera in 1975, the company’s failure to innovate has caused it to near bankruptcy. Not only did Kodak fail to stay ahead of its competition, it failed to even keep up.
To stay culturally relevant, make a commitment to understand the ever changing culture you’re in. Never underestimate the power of emerging trends and culture shifts. It doesn’t mean you have to throw out what’s working for you or jump on the next big trend just because it’s popular right now. But it is essential you keep in touch with what your customers want and deliver what they need.
Here are a few thoughts on how to remain relevant in your industry:
1. Become a life-long learner. New knowledge is the greatest weapon against complacency. If you don’t continue learning and growing, you will remain stuck in your present-day ways. And in our dynamic world, you’ll become irrelevant before you know it.
2. Be necessary and relevant. It’s important to focus on the needs of your customers as they see them—not as you see them. The felt-need concept focuses on the customers’ thoughts and dreams. Provide solutions to felt needs.
3. Don’t bask in past successes too long. Today’s workforce evolves quickly and often requires people to respond rapidly. Spending too much time looking back will dull your edge. Focus on building your strengths and preparing for future opportunities.
As a leader, build a culture that is relevant to felt needs, serves with humility, values people, is committed to excellence, and dreams big. To be a cultural architect you’ll need to do three things. Learn to understand the culture you desire to create incredibly well. Create it. Then defend it with a passion.
In this week’s news, everyone has been talking about the cruise ship Costa Concordia which sank just off the coast of Italy’s Giglio Island. In 1860, another ship called the Lady Elgin was shipwrecked. It was carrying more than 300 passengers on a sight-seeing tour when it collided with another ship. Most passengers on board failed to survive, but some floated toward shore, clinging to floating debris for hours only to be plunged back into the sea by a fierce undertow. Seventeen fortunate people did survive, owing their lives to a young university student named Edward W. Spencer.
Edward, an experienced swimmer, tied a rope to his body and continually swam into the violent waters to pull out as many passengers as he could. After 17 rescues, he collapsed from exhaustion.
Edward never fully recovered from the emotional and physical trauma he endured. With broken health he lived quietly, unable to enter the ministry; however he exemplified the teachings of Jesus in his private life. He died in California, age 81. A notice in the newspaper at the time of his death stated that not one of the 17 rescued persons ever came to thank him.
Ingratitude lies at the root of many problems—not just in the world at large, but in everyday life. It causes unhappiness, strife, disease, sickness and poverty. People who are ungrateful hurt others, but really they hurt themselves the most.
Unthankfulness is not intentionally chosen. It’s a habit that grows in the absence of gratitude. The less we give thanks, the deeper the bad habit of ingratitude becomes. However, if we develop the habit of being thankful, we choke out ingratitude.
We’re on a series right now called Better habits for a better life. Each week we’re looking at developing one new positive habit. If you missed last week’s column on the habit of self-discipline, you can find it at my blog site, www.leonfontaine.com under the category “Better habits for a better life.” This week, let’s focus on the habit of being thankful.
The bible tells us in Philippians 4:4-8 that a habit of thankfulness is like a guard mounted in our hearts, fending off unhappiness, depression, and stress. Thankfulness is also the entranceway into God’s presence. When we’re thankful, we experience a deeper connection with Him, which leads to greater joy and peace.
Mark 8:6 illustrates the miraculous power of gratitude. It is the story of Jesus multiplying one loaf of bread and a few fish to feed thousands. But what did Jesus do right before this miracle occurred? He gave thanks for what little He had. Are you thankful for the little things you have? I encourage you right now to make a list of the little things you’re thankful for.
Next, demonstrate your gratitude. Just like love, thankfulness must be shown. Tell your spouse and kids how much you love them. Find ways to express thanks every day—at work, at home, and even in traffic.
If you’re going through a rough time you may be wondering how you could possibly give thanks. But 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says we should give thanks in everything. It doesn’t mean you have to give thanks for everything that happens to you. But even if you’re in the midst of a crisis, you can find something you’re grateful for. Focus on that. Verbalize your thanks.
When you start being thankful each day with words and actions, you’ll be amazed what happens next. The attitude of gratitude becomes a habit, and soon you’ll find yourself increasing in friends, finances, laughter, and life’s enjoyment. Most importantly, when you develop the habit of thankfulness and offer daily thanks to God, you will enter into a life-changing relationship with Him that will be unlike anything you’ve ever experienced.
This message (“Cultural Architect”) is available for download on Leon’s Weekly Podcast on itunes.
We are excited to announce that Dr. Sam Chand will be joining us for Springs Conference 2012.
When I worked as a paramedic, I had a co-worker who one day walked away from his job, his wife, and his family to sail around the world. I was stunned when he declared he was setting off on a solo journey and wasn’t sure when, or if, he’d be back. “I need to find myself,” he said.
I’ve met many who are expecting an outward journey to produce the happiness, fulfillment and success they’re craving. They’re looking to fulfill a dream but are going about it the wrong way.
They believe that if they can just reach a higher level of success, recognition, or net worth, they’ll finally be happy. What they fail to realize is that the exact opposite is true. A ‘me-focused’ attitude is the fastest route to depression. Focusing on our own happiness seems like the most rational way to achieve contentment, but when we put our needs first on a consistent basis, fulfillment actually becomes harder to achieve.
Instead, when we build our dreams with an ‘others-focus’, they lead to the most satisfying human experience available. When you focus on doing something that will build a better life for others, you’ll experience the most fulfilling life there is.
Now you may be thinking, “Leon, that sounds great, but I want adventure, excitement, and success too.” Of course you do. Big dreams, discovery, creativity, and excitement are all part of being fully alive. In fact, if you didn’t crave excitement, I’d encourage you to find something you can be passionate about. You can live it up AND be ‘others-focused.’ It doesn’t have to drain you or take all the fun and excitement out of life. It’s not a matter of either-or.
A sense of purpose that is wrapped up with an intention to benefit others is the secret to lasting job satisfaction. People who think beyond themselves are the most content. They believe in the work that they do and their passion causes them to be very good at it. Their dedication often results in a career that provides for their financial needs as well. They know that living with honour and integrity really is the best way to live.
The opposite is true for those who are fixated on their own pleasures. Think about it. We live in one of the most pleasure-seeking nations in the world, yet unhappiness is rampant in society.
We’re constantly sold the lie that looking after number one is the only way you’ll ever be happy, when it’s quite the opposite. Of course, we can’t go into the ditch on this. Take care of yourself. Exercise, eat healthy, have fun and do things that re-charge your batteries. I’m not talking about becoming unbalanced. What I’m talking about is choosing your focus, your ultimate goal, what consumes your everyday thoughts.
If you’ve become solely focused on making yourself happy, you’re going to feel constantly let down and disappointed. Try this: ask yourself right now, “Am I happy?” Immediately your brain goes into search mode, looking for all the reasons why you are not. Stop asking the question. Instead, focus on how you benefit others and you’ll experience amazing satisfaction.
If you’re bored with your career and are questioning what it’s all for, don’t quit your job, abandon your family, and hop aboard a sailboat. Instead, you can begin a life-changing journey right where you are. All it takes is a little adjustment to your focus. I love how my friend A.R. Bernard puts it,: “Happiness is activity with purpose.”
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