Two Tools to Help Shape Your Culture

The following is by our guest writer, author, Leadership expert and professional speaker Chris Meroff.

On the leadership journey, there will be a variety of problems that can derail you before you reach your destination. Having an undefined culture will be the biggest hindrance to the success of your team/company. In order to avoid this, you have to intentionally shape the culture.

The reality is it took me over a year to come up with a definition of culture that was usable. It was through lots of failure that I was finally able to define and shape our culture. For me, the definition of culture is the sum of a group of people’s worldviews — hopes, preferences, traditions, experiences, and beliefs.

Here are two tools I have used to shape culture:

1. Purpose
2. Guiding Principles

Your purpose identifies your destination and defines your journey. Your guiding principles guide your behavior, they give you permission to hold yourself and others accountable on the journey to your purpose.

It’s important to remember that culture will push you in a direction. If you want to have a say in what that direction is you need to take the time to shape the culture towards where you want to go. Because that is the purpose of culture, to go forward together, as effectively as possible.