My Secret Culture Playbook

Will Humphreys

9d • Recruiting Team Members

"Culture eats strategy for breakfast." Peter Drucker.

HERE IS MY CULTURE PLAYBOOK HIGHLIGHTS

Culture Definition: The feeling our employees have on Sunday night.

Goal: Create a culture where our team would take a bullet for each other (non-lethal at least)

1) Team Communication

Communication is the foundation of culture. The first thing people say when they leave a company is "they have bad communication". It is impossible to explain how to establish communication systems here, but just read the book Scaling Up by Verne Harnish and the section on meeting rhythms and follow it exactly as he says.

2) Create & Live Purpose, Mission, Vision, & Values.

I get paid to speak on this and would be happy to answer any questions on this or do more posts on how to create and live these elements of what I call our "Culture Foundation". BUT this is what we talk about in every meeting. This is how we hire. This is how we fire. Every single person in the team should know, verbatim, our purpose, mission, vision, and values. If that's not happening, there is a huge opportunity here.

3) Individual Vision Meetings

Held annually, not on the anniversary date. The agenda is a single question: "What do you want?" Then we coach them on building a vision for their career and life. Why? 88% of A players leave due to "not being able to see a future in the company." When our people see us as their coaches, they have a hard time leaving. Hold this meeting off-site and make it personal with lunch etc.

4) Celebrate and recognize any culture-positive activity. (Positive Feedback Loop)

This is where culture creation becomes fun. From weekly shout-outs to company trips to celebrate hitting yearly goals to software (Bonusly.com is my fav), this is where you can enroll your team to HELP YOU create unique recognition and experiences that will keep them working hard. Why? Because what people help create, they buy into by default.

Bonus: I love giving out nice trophies based on our company values annually, once a year, to our team over a fun dinner where we auction off prizes. Huge in my world.

5) Create A Movement

When we start talking about our company like a movement, that's when we really start to get people dialed in for the long haul. The easiest way that I have done this is to pick a charity that we all support as a company. I have a really cool example of this, but this post is already getting long. (Let me know if you want what we do and have done)

If you guys want more of this information, I'll be happy to share more details on anything. THIS is what I care most about in any business.

If you made it all the way to the end of this post, I'm gonna give you two bonus lessons that I wish I had learned long ago...

The purpose of any leader is to build more leaders. This is the main reason you and I exist.
The most impactful leader in any group is the person who LOVES the most.

Just think of who your favorite leader, parent, or example is...I guarantee they loved more deeply, more passionately, and with more service than the other people in your world. They made you feel something that is 100% true...

YOU MATTER.

Now go build your dream team and one FINAL bonus for you who made it this far.

8 years after selling my first company that took me 15 years to build, I don't think about my clients, the work or the money. I miss one thing and one thing only.

The team I built. Our teams are our legacy to the world.

OK. FINAL BONUS. Why does all this really matter?

Because the lessons we learn at work to turn a team into a family we can take home and..

turn our family into a team.

Nothing matters more than family.

Ok, bye.

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