The organizational culture aquarium

The organizational culture aquarium

Ignoring the health of a companies culture is like letting aquarium water get dirty

Organizational agility is no longer a luxury, but a necessity

It’s harder to stay on top than to get there. For every Apple, there is an Atari, for every Fuji a Polaroid, and for every Zara an American Apparel. How can you avoid the seemingly inevitable and remain a profitably growing “evergreen company” that stays on top?

Ignoring the health of the companies culture is like letting the aquarium water get dirty

In today’s dynamic business environment, leaders of established companies need more than ever to run and reinvent the business at the same time. That’s way organizational agility no longer a is luxury, but a necessity. Long-term success is dependent on a organizational culture that is nurtured and alive. Culture is the environment in which a company’s strategy and brand thrives or dies a slow death. It’s one of the most important drivers that has to be set or adjusted to push long-term, sustainable success.

The organizational culture aquarium

Think about it like a nurturing habitat for success. Culture cannot be manufactured. It has to be genuinely nurtured by everyone. Ignoring the health of a companies culture is like letting aquarium water get dirty.

The organizational culture aquarium - Ignoring the health of a companies culture is like letting aquarium water get dirty.

Keep the aquarium water clean

It wasn’t enough just to “let it happen” on its own. Just like companies maniacally built the product, they needed to do the same with organizational culture.

Communicate the values and culture code explicitly and continuously – employees must understand the culture, and why it’s important. Do this always and in tandem with every other culture initiative, or the culture will be merely hollow words on a mission statement. Done well, however, and the culture will bleed into employees who will spread the culture, whatever it may be.

Great organizational cultures don’t just happen. It takes creativity and a willingness!

Watch out for the organizational iceberg

The iceberg that sinks organizational change -Titanic sank after colliding with an iceberg

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About The Author

Torben Rick

Experienced senior executive, both at a strategic and operational level, with strong track record in developing, driving and managing business improvement, development and change management. International experience from management positions in Denmark, Germany, Switzerland and United Kingdom

Blog Comments

Great article! The infographic visualizes very good the organizational culture inside!

It’s interesting how companies do not use words like “feelings” or “empathy” yet in fact without them there is no relationship(s) to any customer. Stories are not made up make believe selling points. In this day and age stories are actual experiences people can relate to emotionally.

So why then can’t we use the words feeling, empathetic, in sync etc. to describe the values
and practices in business? I have a theory about it.

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