Culture in Business

Let me start of by saying that culture is never only a single thing. Culture in my experience is a combination of values, behaviours, experiences, and objectives. Essentially what we are – or how we are being identified. It is normally where common ground is relevant – whether it is our language we speak, what we eat, how we do things or what we belief. The way we look or respond. Uniqueness.

I once conducted an audit – and during general conversation a comment was made by the farmer – “Do you know that we are what we eat?” I smiled and carried on with my work, as at first it did not make sense and I did not pay attention to this. But for some reason this comment never left my thoughts. Why did it make such an impact?

We are what we eat!

Almost a decade later, having grown as person but also in my experience as business owner – I am able to relate more to this comment in business. We become what we eat – What we digest. What we allow our thoughts, our processes, and our people to take in daily – is what we become as a business. Our employees become what we allow them to digest.

Business culture is what we are as a business.

• What we belief,
• How we do things,
• The way we respond,
• And what we communicate.

That what makes us unique. The biggest contribution to a failed culture is the lack of commitment in what we are doing.  This could be in any aspect. Managing compliance, dealing with employees, or making business deals. You should always be willing to practice what your preach and in saying that you as the owner or manager of the business should have a 100% commitment and confidence in the strategy, vision, value, process or goals for the business.

That will allow employees, customers, and consumers to relate to you. And if employees and other stakeholders can relate, we have common ground and we can start building culture. This will help external parties to understand or relate the values, experiences and objectives of your organization and Bingo We have Culture – a uniqueness.

BUT

We as an agricultural industry should be under no illusion and realize that business culture is one of the most difficult things to establish but also maintain. Especially in South-Africa. As a South African business, and a South African we are privileged to by confronted daily with a diverse culture. So many different people, from so many different backgrounds. Yet this is also the thing that is challenging businesses in agriculture to establish culture, The diverse nature of our workforce, our customers, and our consumers.

For you as a business owner, manager, or employee we need to realize that our first aim in establishing culture is to identify common ground. Those things that majority of the workforce can relate to. It needs to make sense and they should feel is adds value for them to fight for those common values. If we belief in the same things; if we do the same things and if we trust the same processes – it will most certainly result in an improved business culture.

Business owners and Managers need to realize how important the role of general workforce is in establishing and improving the culture. If employee’s belief in your vision, are requested to contribute to the smart goals that have been set and have the motivation to support business in achieving those goals – the culture will be established and improved over time. These employees will take ownership of the vision and values of the business.  In other word we can say the vision, value and resources is the bricks that you as the owner supply – but employees and the workforce is in fact building the wall (culture).

In my experience and having engaged clients over thousands of consultation sessions – a culture that is aligned within an organization proves to result in so many other things

• trusted product or service
• lower risk business
• improved productivity
• happy employees
• more profitable

I am yet to meet a business that have not at some point around the boardroom table discussed these topics. It sounds like a good idea individually – but you as business can reap a combination of rewards by just focussing on the one thing – Business Culture.

Let the culture you establish in your business contribute to your business success. This will result in your business’ culture to be your voice, your advocate, and first line of motivation in your organization. Culture is what makes us proud, what makes us fight for common course and what influence the grater cause. Those unseen performance drivers in any business.

Be ‘excellent’ in your culture.

Skyvines Greetings