How do you describe the ‘culture’ at your workplace?  

Is it ‘like family?’ 
‘Relaxed and casual?’
‘Laid back?’

If so, please read on.

When I see videos and job descriptions that talk about how we’re ‘laid back’ and like ‘a big family,’ I immediately think, BORING!

And, If I were the founder of that company, I’d take exception to those phrases to describe our culture.

Why?

Just because people wear shorts and flip flops to work (‘casual dress code’) does NOT mean we aren’t driven to kick butt daily. 

It does NOT mean we’re slow to respond to product development and market shifts.

It does NOT mean we won’t have crucial conversations.

It does not mean you can get by with mediocre work here!

Founders became founders because they think differently. They are motivated to break convention — to do things differently; driven by a vision, passion, new ideas and a better way of doing things.

They are willing to put everything on the line to make a difference for themselves and for people who join them.

They do not make excuses because they know every success and failure ultimately points back to them.

They are burdened with the knowledge that if they make a catastrophic mistake, people’s lives will be adversely impacted and so they have to make courageous decisions. (Yes, I acknolwedge that some founders are only in it for themselves — that’s not who this post is referring to.)

Founders establish these cultural attributes at the beginning. 

But as a business evolves and new people join the company, each team member is one more step removed from the founding culture. 

When you promote your workplace culture as relaxed, laid back, casual and like family, it tends to miscommunicate ALL of these attributes and you have unintended culture creep.

Don’t miss this: you CAN have a fun and friendly place to work while wearing shorts and flip-flops AND completely dominate your market at the same time!

So the next time your team wants to produce a culture video to attract great people, please don’t water it down or otherwise miscommunicate the soul of your company with trendy catch phrases that others use…

Describe your grit, the determination, the resiliency and the attitude behind your success! 

Talk about how you overcame adversity.

Tell why you’re an organization that makes feedback desirable and accountability the norm.

Set the bar high1 You’ll attract the RIGHT people, not people who are looking to ‘chill’ for 8 hours a day.

After all, High Performance Workplaces are about getting the right people doing the right things, moving in the right direction. Together.

What are your thoughts about culture and how you communicate it? 

Are you paying attention to culture in a way that drives performance, or hinders it?