Every company has a culture, whether they know it or there’s a name to it. It’s real; it’s a living organism within a business or a community. Take control of the things we actually have some say in, such as the outcome, as opposed to complaining about the things that are out of our control. We can only control what’s right around us and things that we have direct influence on, such as our families, our businesses, our clients.

To put a name to a culture and cultivate that culture in who we know we are and who we aspire to be is very important within a business. If we don’t have a soul and a purpose, and it’s going to die eventually, especially in today’s commoditized world.  If you don’t grow
 dramatically and remake your industry, you’re going to be a dinosaur and be out of business at some point. Remake your industry; don’t keep trying to compete on continuously lowering margins.

The culture starts with the individuals. This again may not be for everybody, every company, every team, for companies that I associate with, the massive growth has been, “If I am in fear mode and only running at a 30% efficiency of my time and value within my company, and you, my fellow employee are only at 30% and in fear as well, it’s a negative spiral.”

Out of 100% capacity and efficiency between two people, it may be less together than apart.  If I’m running at 50%, 60%, 70% of my efficiency, I know as an individual who I am, and I’m adding real value and making a difference and am inspired to make a difference within my company, and you are as well, and we’re not afraid about taking each other’s jobs, or looking to have to cover our asses.

We’re being honest and having a real conversation – if I know who I am and
communicated it, and you know who you are and can communicate it, and there’s a trust there, away we go. And I think two people together are even greater than one plus one – not one plus one equals two, not even one plus one equals three, it’s one plus one equals infinite. That’s the beauty of being in business in the wisdom age, and it starts with the individual.

The more solid the individual, the more solid the relationships, thus the more solid the company.

Grow people; grow relationships; grow business.