1. CULTURE: Cirque’s culture was evident from the moment I first walked through the door of their massive training facility in Montreal. It was the way they greeted me, starting with my warm welcome at the airport by the casting director, Nicolette. She made me feel welcomed, valued, and important by:
I. Smiling.
II. Greeting. In this situation, it was sharing a hug and three sincere cheek kisses. (A firm handshake and eye contact are enough, unless you’re French Canadian or European, as I am. We’re culturally used to that kind of warmth and affection. Be knowledgeable and aware of whom you’re dealing with ... emotional intelligence.) Understanding, honoring and embracing these differences in cultural rituals, really shows respect and caring. Respect and caring let people know they are truly validated and welcomed… empowerment!
III. Using my name. Dale Carnegie says, “Remember that a person’s name to that person, is the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” It makes people feel memorable. With all the international names at Cirque, it said so much when somebody took the time to remember a name and say it correctly. The best way to get a person’s name correctly, is to simply ask them how they pronounce it. Ask to be corrected until you have it right. You’ve just earned serious brownie points.
IV. Enthusiasm. Optimize your facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language to communicate positive, energizing vibes.
The warm welcome continued through to the guided tour and explanation of concepts and departments. The standards and expectations of this company were very clear. They gave me an immediate sense of belonging and being valued. From minute one, they were committed to setting me and all new hires up for success. The tour continued the next day when I was literally guided to the first training and introduced to the team that had already arrived.
Many companies fall short in welcoming employees. It’s a formality that is undernourished. New arrivals feel lost, confused, insignificant, and frustrated before their journey has even begun. It’s a typical leadership and culture faux pas. Consider running if you, as a frontline employee, are treated poorly on day one and left to your own resources. It means the culture is not designed from the starting line to set you up for success. It’s a shame some leaders don’t take the time to set their teams up for success.
Though culture is intangible, it should be apparent at a glance. Cleverly chosen words do not define a culture. Just like a brand is based on consumer perception, culture is not what leaders say it is. It is defined by how your team members perceive it to be based on leadership example. The words that describe your brand essence are a guide and not necessarily the reality.
The behaviors and habits of everybody who works for your business, company, or organization must not only “know” those cleverly chosen words, they must become those words. Executives, in particular, must embody them through their daily habits and the way they treat their employees.
For example (let’s state the obvious):
a. If you work in a fashion or lifestyle- sensitive/aware industry, your CEO had better be trendy!
b. If innovation is a part of your brand or culture, then executives had better have an innovation mindset—diversity, open-mindedness, the encouragement of idea sharing, exploration, risk, and failure— as a footprint.
c. If you work in a health- and wellness- inspired industry, then people working in your stores should look healthy and athletic.
d. If you wish to be relevant, inspiring consumer loyalty and the purchasing power of rising demographics, you and better be on board with current events and trends, new customer expectations and understanding the motivation of younger generations.
If the brand promise and employee actions are not congruent, starting at the executive level through upper and middle management, then the core values risk becoming diluted. As a result, your frontline workers will be left confused, handcuffed, and isolated without a compass or warmth. This will turn your brand anemic: un-loyal customers and disengaged employees.
Execs, be honest with yourselves. Do you personify the company core values, vision, and mission?
Upper management, be honest with yourselves. Do you personify the company core values, vision, and mission?
Take the time to truly self-evaluate. Also, as an executive, it’s crucial that you understand your team and their emotional needs. Humans are emotional beings. Human connection is imperative to your culture and business success.
