Good organisations often aim to support the culture carriers in their organisation. Such people embody the organisation’s core principles and translate these into action.
Culture carriers behave in a way that shows people: “These are our core principles. These are the Dos and Don’ts. This is the way we do things around here.” They help to build and maintain the desired culture.
Different organisations support such people in different ways. Some take the following steps.
They clarify the core principles they want
people in the organisation to follow
Imagine that you lead an organisation. What are the core principles you want people to follow in order to achieve the picture of success? What are the reasons why you would like people to follow these principles?
Different organisations may follow different principles. Some want their people to be customer focused, deliver high quality and focus on continuous improvement. Here are some other themes that organisations may mention when taking this approach.
The Core Principles We Want People
To Follow In Our Organisation Are:
To build on our strengths, do superb work and deliver success.
To do work that cares for people, our products and the planet.
To get wins for our company, customers and colleagues.
Imagine that you lead or work in an organisation. What are the principles that the organisation wants people to follow? If these are not clear, you may want to have a go at brainstorming and settling on these principles.
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.
Imagine that you have settled on several core principles. Good organisations may then explore the next theme.
They clarify the people who may be the culture
carriers who embody the core principles
The next step is to identify people who embody the core principles. Some may be senior leaders. Some may be managers. Some may be people at various levels in the organisation.
This is an exercise that I have done with many leaders. Here is how one leader described a person who acted as a culture carrier.
Sue is a positive matriarch who leads a team that is incredibly customer focused. She leads the way by acting as a real partner to her customers and they love her.
She has recruited a team of people who provide great service. They enjoy working with customers and want to help them to succeed. They also get lots of repeat business that helps us to achieve our goals.
Culture carriers translate the principles into action. Some may act as positive models for others. Some may deliver high professional standards. Some may always do the basics and then add the brilliance.
Let’s return to your own organisation. Can you think of a person who embodies some of the core principles? How do they translate these into action? What are the specific benefits for the organisation?
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to just focus on one person. But you can obviously use this framework to identify many other individuals who are culture carriers.
Here is the exercise. It invites you to complete the following sentences.
Imagine that you have written the names of several culture carriers. Good organisations may then explore the next theme.
They continue to support the culture
carriers who act as good models
and spread the core principles
The next step is to support the culture carriers and, in the process, spread the core principles across the organisation. There are many ways to take this step. Let’s explore these this theme.
They Put The Culture
Carriers In Leadership Roles
Good organisations recognise it is vital to have leaders who embody the core principles. Such people set the tone in their departments and teams. They may therefore invite culture carriers to take leadership roles.
Much depends on the individual’s strengths, of course, and whether they want to be leaders. But taking this step can help to make sure the core principles are spread through the organisation.
They Invite The Culture
Carriers To Lead Projects
Some organisations invite the culture carriers to lead projects on certain topics. Depending on the person’s strengths, they may lead a project based on customer service, technology, shaping tomorrow’s business or another topic.
The person is encouraged focus on the goals to achieve, assemble a team and do pioneering work that delivers success. The way they lead the team can also help to spread the core principles through the organisation.
They Build On The Culture Carrier’s Strengths
And Encourage Them To Do Superb Work
Good organisations recognise that is important to build on people’s strengths. This is particularly so when supporting a person who is a culture carrier.
Such a person is often dedicated and driven. Sometimes this means that they continue to take on big loads and can pay a heavy price. This can include them sometimes submerging their strengths.
Good organisations aim to get such a person to refocus on where they deliver As rather than Bs or Cs. They then give them the support they need to do superb work that helps the person and the organisation to achieve success.
They Encourage The Culture Carriers
To Apply Their Strengths In Other Areas
Good organisations encourage people who embody the core principles to also apply their strengths to other areas. They may encourage them to be mentors, to buddy new joiners or to take part in induction programmes.
The key is to focus on the person’s strengths and their specific areas of interest. The person can then act as a good model whilst also performing superb work that benefits the organisation.
Good organisations recognise the importance of supporting the culture carriers. Such people then spread the message that: “These are our core principles. These are the Dos and Don’ts. This is the way we do things around here.”
Culture carriers behave in a way that shows people: “These are our core principles. This is the way we do things around here.” They help to build and maintain the desired culture.
Imagine that you want to support the culture carriers in your own organisation. How can you follow this approach in your own way? What may be the benefits of taking these steps?
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.
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