Despite its importance in terms of attracting or repelling customers and clients, potential investors, and the hottest new talent, all too often organizations think little about their culture and what it says about their business. In many cases, organizational culture is something that just develops naturally, but as it speaks of the human aspects of the way that a company does business, it is not something that should be left to chance.
Organizational culture is something which in many ways is hard to define, but essentially it describes the common values, standards and behavior exemplified by a business and the way that the company’s leadership and employees interact with one another and the outside world. It refers not just to rules and procedures, but with a business’ core beliefs.
To a great extent, an organization’s culture is determined by its leaders, although not always consciously. Everything from the way that leadership treats its employees to the mission, vision and values to which it aspires permeates the business and affects the mindset behind all its interactions. It might be based on power or around people, on innovation, or around rituals and routines. Whatever the case, an organization’s culture has immense potential to affect its brand image. What does your company culture say about your business?