Welcome back. In part one, we looked, well, we looked at you. The type of perspective you wish to provide within your business, your culture. Part two established a need for measurement. To know your scorecard. The metrics showing you are either there or not. Now we explore the third part of the equation, the things that create the score and in turn manifest the you, or at least the “you” you wish to provide.
A peer once shared something with me and I hope I do it justice in sharing it with you. It is called BE-DO-HAVE. Google it. It is called everything from a principle to a theory to philosophy. There are a lot of articles in which one might expand this logic. My quick and easy explanation is the premise most people want to have a “something”, then they can do whatever and be the whatever they desire. If I have a better or newer car or home or relationship, then I can do the stuff associated with it and then be the person I should be. They live in the “I wish I had, then…” INVERT this immediately! This idea of “having” first is frustrating as it is thinking backwards. The better or perhaps more successful way to approach is to first decide, to believe yourself to be the whatever, then do whatever it may take to then have your whatever.
Apply it this way for some context a little closer to home. How many of you wish you had better employees? I would be willing to bet most if not all of you fall into this; regardless of whether you are an owner or store manager or anyone in between. If that is you, then consider this concept, this philosophy. Decide first you want and need to BE the type of employer with an environment people want to be a part of. Then DO anything, everything and at a minimum something that creates that environment. And then you will HAVE “better” employees. My first issue I would have with you would be…what is a better employee? Seriously, that is another post. You get the idea.
This concept confounds most businesses. Their belief in HAVE-DO-BE is where some businesses fall short…they want to have a desired vision or vibe first. On the surface, that makes perfect sense, that is logical. They want a certain look and feel. They have already decided to have something before what might and does create it. And that is the tripping point. They are stuck in what they want to have, bypassing the mindset and doing-ness part of the equation. It starts with you having a certain mindset – that was at the heart of part one. Now we expand by identifying the discipline to get it done and the results that follow. Now the second part was about measures. You need to know that so as to clarify that you either have or have not. So this is the point…what are you doing in your business to make your “whatever” happen?
So let me try and bring these parts together. These are just small tidbits of what I share with my clients about culture formation within the business.
- To quote, or rather paraphrase one of my favorite authors and speakers, John C. Maxwell, belief fuels talent. Decide the “you-ness”. Decide to be what you want to be…either in your marketplace and/or with your employees. Stand for something. Have a cause that others might say “cool.”
- What is your scorecard? Can your “you-ness” be measured accurately and easily?
- Now comes the doing part. What behaviors cause this “you-ness” to happen? If you want to be the best in whatever in your market; what things do you need to do each and every day to make your goal occur? Can it be expressed and communicated? Can it be trained? Can it be easily replicated? Can it be coached? And can it be appreciated and recognized? What is your “it”?
Culture is lost without the behaviors that cause (define) it and the means to see whether you are achieving your cultural goal or not.
I am willing to share with you my cultural core, my belief statement, my BE-DO-HAVE.
“Do what you love with a passion for growing others and the results will follow.”
Cheers