There is no either or. We are process and result driven, but that’s not all and shouldn’t be the only focus if we want to change things and grow these days. Just focus on process & strategy is a dead end. The culture should be within the boat.
The picture shows the framework… The culture stand on pillars. They are the strategy and the way they were build is the process. We can differentiate between bearing and non-bearing pillars, the non-bearing we can change if needed but we can’t change the bearing once without much attention and effort.
Situation
We know that we need to change something within the company, but we are not 100% sure what and how. We know that we need a strategy and we know this strategy must be different in it’s kind than the strategies in the past.
We feel that the change needs to be fundamentally, but we are not really aware of it.
Strategy Framework
Maybe we start with a new strategy pillar. This needs to be integrated in the company and the company pillars. The goal oft his strategy pillar could be different. It could be for internal strategy or for the strategy of the customer (consulting approach or similar). This pillar needs to be build, implemented and ongoing developed for growth. It’s like a crane for building a skyscraper. The crane will grow with the skyscraper, but always stays on thee same grounding.
The elements of this 4 blocks gives an idea of the direction and what’s needed. Each of them is complex and needs attention. If you step into them, think big and keep it simple.
This framework is a first step. To be successful we need a different corporate setup. Within an innovative company there will be no Human Resources (like we know it today), Marketing or Product-Management. This company is not focused on their stakeholders and investors… this company follows the customer first to generate something different.
Pillar Framework
Here we see the different setup as an example. This company is based on 4 main pillars, which are equal with their departments.
The goal of this “Pillar Framework” is to change and grow business. Beside this focus there must be another pillar which contains the corporate operational things like finance, human resource operation. office management and others.
It is a self explanatory framework. The 4 pillars are the bearing once while the content of the 4 white boxes are the non-bearing pillars. These you can adopt, but you can’t change them completely, otherwise you would change the main pillar.
Culture Framework
However, this is the process & strategy… but don’t trust to have success just with this.
Power doesn’t come out of a process, power always comes out of people and the “we”, not the “me”.
Implementing a corporate culture of a “we” is essential as of the fact, that every process contains different actors internally and externally. Only if everyone is working in the same and not towards his personal direction (because of personal goals like payment or development goals) we can have success.
Success needs people which have the strategic overview with a kind of experience in some deep, then operational strategist and finally specialists for one area. All this actors needs to understand the what and why behind their work… they need to understand why something makes sense for the big picture which does not makes sense from their view.
If we have such a setup we can create a culture of helping each other to reach the common goal (which should be customer satisfaction by the way). Today we often have personal goals instead of common goals. This personal goals are often in the opposite direction.
You can have the best strategy, the best processes and the best products & services… if the team around you is not on the same page, there will be no or less success.
My personal direction is people (colleagues and customer) based. They need to be always first, then we have to follow a strong focus on strategy and processes.
Where are you today?
Are you close to this or very far away? Do you have concerns and/or problems with this or with implementing this? …or do you think it must be different? If so, do you know how? To start this change, philosophy is a great starting point. Why?
Read this upcoming article “Philosophy & Change – How does they belong together?” <<< To get informed as soon as the article is up, subscribe to the newsletter.
