Leaders tend to focus on organizational values and culture at several key times

in the life of an organization:

 

-When forming or re-forming an organization

-When in a crisis or emerging from a crisis

-When they are asking organization members to aspire to new challenges

 

These are specific situations when leaders need the targeted investment and commitment

of all the organization’s members. The organization may be in a threatened or humbled state.

It's not "business as usual".

 

In fact it's "business unusual" because what worked in the past is no longer working or has been somehow compromised. The organization is either new and unproven or trying to recapture their earlier success in an environment that has changed. The messages have a similar ring to them:

 

"We need to get this enterprise off the ground."

 

"We need to grow this business and double our size."

 

"We need to set a new and better course to survive and avoid pitfalls."

 

“We need to get back to our founding principles.”

 

Do they look to tools, technology and processes? Yes, but that approach is a given. It is in fact hard to measure when organizations don't have a focus on tools, technology and processes. That always seems to be the reaction to a challenge. But it may not always produce the desired results.

 

It is at these challenging times that many leaders realize that they need to get all of the organization members on the same track, "rowing in the same direction". Thinking beyond tools, technology and processes leads to something more foundational: organizational culture and values. The "why are we doing this" question needs to be asked and answered.

 

Addressing culture and values requires sacrifices and a commitment to change by everyone in the organization. You will be introducing new challenges and asking individuals to buy in to a philosophy that gives the work of the organization a real purpose and meaning. Each individual will have a role in bringing this organizational transformation to fruition.

 

Vital Tenets provides a foundation for that transformation.