Does Company Culture Matter?
I’ve been looking for an expert in corporate culture since I’ve been told by colleagues (and some employees) that ours needs improvement. In reviewing the various options, I have a nagging concern—that none of those experts have ever owned a business with a large operating budget and dozens of employees. Shouldn’t I look for someone who has shared my experiences running an organization, where they had skin in the game?
No Perfect Answer…
Tough question because there’s no one perfect answer. In music, some of the greatest musicians are crummy teachers, who never produce famous stars. Others, who are adequate players, are amazing teachers and account for some of the biggest stars in show business.
There may be superb executives who never lived or died based on current cash flow (they got their salary every two weeks, like the people they supervised) but can inspire people to be their best. Their suggestions have value. There are also a lot of charlatans floating around in this field, who were fired from their HR job last Thursday and are now so-called expert consultants in corporate culture.
Ideally, you’d like to find someone who incorporates both types of experience—as a successful business owner, and as an experienced consultant. A friend and colleague who ran a $10MM+ business, with over 80 employees, has been a corporate culture consultant for more than a decade. He can empathize with the owner, who lives and dies by revenue, and also see the best ways to assess and inspire. As a business owner, he also insists on very specific metrics to measure improvements.
Look for someone familiar with businesses of your size. Some who came from large organizations work best with HR people—a VERY different breed from business owners! They may not be right for you, as an owner.
“Entrepreneurship is a chronic condition. It cannot be cured, but it can be treated successfully.” Jim Shulman
Jim Shulman
Elsinore Business Associates
www.elsinoreba.com
jims@jimText/Cell 610 908 9087
