Thoughts on culture failures and a simple framework to describe culture constructs.

1. @heathermcgowan
We treat others as we would like to be treated
ourselves. We do not tolerate abusive or
disrespectful treatment. Ruthlessness, callousness
and arrogance don't belong here.
A Note On: Culture Statements
Sounds Good, Right?
We are one firm, defined by our unwavering commitment
to our clients, our shareholders, and each other. Our
mission is to build unrivaled partnerships with and value
for our clients, through the knowledge, creativity, and
dedication of our people, leading to superior returns to
our shareholders.
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2. @heathermcgowan
This Is The Right Issue, At the Right Time. It Is Not Simple. Most Do
Not Understand What Culture Is…..
Culture Is An Increasing Concern
Deloitte’s Global Human Capital Trends 2016 report,
based on a survey of over 7,000 business and human
resources leaders, found:
82 percent of respondents view “culture as a potential
competitive advantage,”
only 28 percent believe they “understand their culture
well”
19 percent believe their firm has the “right culture.”

3. @heathermcgowan
HTT Culture Notes:
Learning From Culture Failures

4. @heathermcgowan
Culture Notes: Learning From Failures
Wells Fargo Values
1. People as a competitive advantage
2. Ethics
3. What’s right for customers
4. Diversity and inclusion
5. Leadership

5. @heathermcgowan
Culture Seems Easier To Understand When It Fails
Culture Notes: Learning From Failures
VALUES:
• Social responsibility
Innovative employment models and social involvement.
• Sustainability
Human rights, labor standards, environmental protection:
there are many facets to sustainability.
• A spirit of partnership
Equality and humanity: fairness is important to us.

6. @heathermcgowan
Culture Notes: Learning From Failures
What H1 Says About Themselves:
Goals:
• Be Anywhere.
• Move Anything.
• Connect Everyone.
People:
With a dedicated team of the world's leading experts in
engineering and technology, working alongside world-class
partners and investors, we're leading the movement to
make Hyperloop a reality now.

7. @heathermcgowan
This is general advice for any startup: If you’re just starting out as a new company, then
the easiest thing I would suggest is to figure out your own personal values (which is
harder than it sounds) and then just make the company’s values the same as your
personal values. Make sure you hire people whose values match the company’s values
(and fire people for values violations). —Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos
Zappo’s carefully crafted their culture to
“deliver happiness” . This famously starts with
onboarding where potentially employees are
offered cash to leave. If they take the cash they
were likely not cultural aligned.
Culture Notes- Aspirational Companies/Entities

8. @heathermcgowan
“Culture is not created by one person or even one team. Culture is a
spirit of values that you believe in and you walk it, talk it, breathe it and
live it.” Colleen Barrett, President Emeritus Southwest Airlines
Culture Notes- Aspirational Companies/Entities
Note: Southwest Airlines screens ALL
positions for culture fit, FIRST and
THEN They screen for functional fit.
SWA has the lowest employee
turnover, the only airline that has been
consistently profitable for 40+ years,
the most admired brand, and the
safest airline.
SWA practices servant leadership

9. @heathermcgowan
Dee Hock founded the credit card system by studying systems in nature
to create, what he calls, a Chaordic organization– one that exists on the
balance of chaos and order based in systems of agreements of principles
of purpose and principles of practice; said differently-culture.
Culture Notes-Aspirational Companies/Entities
Dee Hock,
Founder of the Visa Card, Visa International

10. @heathermcgowan
Culture Notes:
Culture Frameworks

11. @heathermcgowan
Deloitte Delineates 3 Integrated Buckets of Culture- Belief, Behavior, and
Outcomes.
Culture Notes: Culture Structures (Deloitte)
Belief Behavior
Our Belief Are
Constructs
Outcomes
Our Beliefs Drive Our
Behaviors
Our Behaviors Result In
Desired And Undesired
Outcomes