Now that we know the basis for how an organization’s culture is created, as well as the vital role core values play as the foundation of the culture, it’s time to look at the four pillars that are involved in the other part of our cultural progression:
Foundation ➜ Pillars ➜ Unique (Desired) Company Traits ➜ Culture
Even though there are four pillars, let’s look at the first two for this post: Results and Accountability, and how they are essential parts of the culture of your organization.
Results Keeps Us Going
Simply put, organizations must achieve results. Without generating results, organizations fail, thus negating the need for culture and people. The corollary is that a culture of results must exist to ensures that an organization survives, grows and thrives. Simple enough, right? But achieving the results you need to keep going (and hopefully growing) isn’t as easy as it sounds.
It requires a lot of the following:
- Intense strategic, tactical and dynamic planning process
- Full organizational alignment
- Buy-in from everyone within the organization
- And, a devotion to execution throughout the whole organization
Obviously, this creates a need for a lot of internal communication and constant discussion of goals and processes. Which, of course, translates to meetings.
We cringe when we think of having meetings because we have been in so many unproductive ones. And, as you must know by now, we hate being unproductive. Yet, meetings are an essential part of driving alignment, building better team dynamics, and, measuring and achieving results. Instead, what if your meetings had a clear purpose and well-defined agendas? What if the meetings became highly intentional, productive and valuable?
When this is true, organizations are able to build and maintain they a culture of collaboration where teams could identify and solve critical problems and generate new ideas. We believe that this is an essential aspect of optimizing results.
As you can see, it’s a domino effect. Results comes from a healthy culture that allows for teamwork and internal communication.
Accountability Maximizes Results
Results don’t just happen, though. A culture of results requires a culture of accountability.
It is important to understand certain critical aspects of accountability.
No one can make anybody accountable. Being accountable is a choice. It’s about making and keeping a promise. It requires commitment and desire to make something happen and a decision to follow through. Accountable people don’t let things just sit. They don’t hope and wait. Instead, they take ownership and see things through.
Once someone has made that choice we can hold them accountable. Their choice is like a promise. They made the promise and now we can hold them to that promise.
What type of person makes a commitment to follow through? Someone who is engaged. They view work as more than a job with a check-list of duties. They have a desire to achieve, move things forward and propel the organization to accomplish results. Because they have a sense of ownership, they take on the messy tasks of problem-solving and mastering conflict – having a willingness to be challenged and challenging others.
As you seek to build a culture of accountability, refer to the different types of accountability, refer to this post.
Their Impact on Culture
Culture will dictate the level of results you achieve. Let’s review the progression:
Building the Foundation with clearly understood Core Values is the long-term decisions you make on which you will build the future.
The Four Pillars are the basis of a successful organization because they ensure you get the environment you want. They are the unique traits of your organization. Because the pillars are understood and clearly communicated they will reinforce positive mindsets and behavior and eliminate the negative ones.
It’s just a matter of clearly identifying those Core Values and creating open communication for those Pillars to exist.
In our next blog post in the Culture Series, we will discuss how a culture of engagement and trust are as essential as a culture of accountability and results. If you want to cultivate your culture ASAP, contact Nexecute now to get started.
Just now tuning in to our Culture Series? Catch up on the series with…
