The Scorpion and the Frog

There was a scorpion that happened onto a river on his journey home. Being a scorpion, he couldn’t swim across the river so he needed help. The scorpion spotted a frog sitting on the edge of the river. He approached the frog and asked him to let him climb on the frogs’ back and ride across the river. “I can’t do that,” said the frog. “You are a scorpion! You will sting me!” “I won’t sting you, “said the scorpion. “If I did, I would only be hurting myself because if you drown, so do I!” The frog thought it over and finally agreed. The scorpion climbed onto the frog's back and they started across the river. Halfway across, the frog felt a painful sensation in his back. The scorpion had stung him! “I can’t believe you did that,” said the frog. “Why?” Why did you do it?" asked the frog going down for the last time. “Because I am a scorpion,” he replied, “and that’s what scorpions do.”

What is the moral of this story? You must accept the fact that your corporate culture is a real entity, not just a buzzword. The definitions given above can be cold and well, “dictionary-like.” Once you have accepted the fact that your corporate culture is a living, breathing thing, then and only then can you initialize true change in your organization. You must realize that your culture has a heart and a head and that you must deal with both. The scorpion in this story is your current culture. Your warning is that you do not claim victory with your service culture change initiative too early. On the outside, the scorpion convinced the frog (management in this scenario) that he was all for change and would not practice old habits. But the further across the river (culture change) the frog and scorpion got, the harder it was for the scorpion to accept this “head” decision and he started to follow his heart and stung the frog.

You will get stung continually unless you accept the fact that true culture change is much deeper than a few rules and policy changes. That it goes so much further than dressing casual and calling everyone by his or her first names. You must get to the heart of the culture and change its identity. 

Lipstick on a Pig?

So, here is an interesting picture. Its the exterior of the latest design being tested by WalMart. Probably would not have guessed that when you saw it. Most people think it's a new Home Depot or a cross between Garden Ridge and Pottery Barn. 

Whatever you think, this is the start of something big - the change to move WalMart from the "limiting" image of low prices for the lower class into more of a design conscious retailer (Ala their rivals at Target.) 

Interesting you say, but what does this have to do with me, you ask? I'm getting to that. If you have been reading long, you know it eventually gets around to culture. But before I do, by the time you finish reading this blog post, WalMart will have raked in $1.9M in sales - REALLY? (Don't forget they do a $1B a day!) So, I am not trying to upset or throw stones at them - especially since people with that kind of money can make people like me disappear without a trace. 

Inside this store, which is beautiful by the way, are new displays, new layouts, new looks and colors. But guess what is the same? You got it - the experience and the employees. Now, I am not saying that the employees at WalMart are of a different class than other retailers - not at all. I have relatives who work for this store. What I am saying is that with the dramatic change in their look, they are forgetting the one thing that must change if they want to reposition themselves in the marketplace - their people. 

And no, again, I am not saying they need to fire everyone at the stores. I am saying that the same level of service (or really lack there of) same level of cleanliness, same level of training and support they give their employees still exists - even in their new beautiful store.

While the store looks very different, the experience was the same. The corporate culture of WalMart is low price and optimized costs. they are spending a ton on new looks and a new exterior, but what are they spending to enhance the one element that has more control over anything else in their culture - their people? 

But, ah, the culture of this company is not about real change, they are about lipstick change. Will it work? Yes, for awhile. But people will learn quickly that it is still WalMart. And the people who already shop there will be happy they got a remodel. But it will not attract new customers - which is the point of the whole project to begin with!

why? Because the people who do not shop with WalMart now do not engage with their corporate culture. And they are making no change in that culture - ergo no new customers. 

Never forget the culture cycle (if you forgot, its in chapter 3 of my book, Culturrific!) Your programming determines your beliefs which determine your values and so on. And the employees that I interviewed in the store in this picture all said the same thing - the outside looks different, but the inside is still the same. 

You cannot beat your corporate culture. When will we learn?

Vote for Coporate Culture

There was a small West Texas town that was typical America. Everything was fine until one day when someone decided to open a bar in that small town. The local church was outraged by this new business and set out to have it closed. They picketed, put up flyers, and even had weekly prayer vigils where they would pray that God would destroy the bar.

Well, one day it happened. Lightning struck the bar and it burned to the ground! The bar owner decided to seek justice for what had been done so he got a lawyer. The lawyer filed suit against the congregation because they had prayed the bar would be burned down and it did. Well the church, not to be outdone, also hired a lawyer and the battle was on. The bar’s lawyer argued that the church was responsible because they had prayed for the destruction of the bar and their prayers had been answered. The church’s lawyer shot back that it was an act of nature, not a result of the church. The church lawyer said it was purely coincidental and the church could not be held liable.

The judge was about to retire to his chambers to make his decision, but before he left, he looked at the two lawyers and the crowd in the courtroom split neatly down the middle - churchgoers on one side and bargoers on the other. (There were probably some that weren’t sure which side to stand on!) He shook his head and said, “This will be the hardest decision I have ever had to make. I am not sure what to make about all of this. But I am sure about one thing. The bar owner believes and the church doesn’t!”

Wow! What a story, especially since it is true. It’s amazing to think that someone on the outside could see the power of what is going on on the inside.

Right now in our country, we are about to face a major election. The presidential race is heating up and the ballots are soon to be cast. The vote you cast is important since it determines who will be the shaper of our country’s future.

But there is another election in town - one infinitely more important. It is the vote for your organization's corporate culture. The candidate is you. The platform is your vision. What makes elections great is that people make a conscious decision to support a person or an idea. You need everyone to make that decision, the decision to dedicate 100% of their efforts to the cause and the future growth of your company.

The believers’ party is founded on people -powerful people like you and me! We got the Power! (Insert "Snap" music here - they were a rock group in the 80s in case you forgot!) The power to vote!

Corporate Culture and Vision

At the opening ceremonies of EPCOT Center at the Walt Disney Resort in Orlando, FL, there was the usual glamour and fanfare typical of a Disney event. As they conducted the dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony, though, there was one person noticeably absent. It was Walt Disney. Walt had died before the completion of his dream from health problems. It was up to his wife, Lillian, to handle the ribbon cutting pomp and circumstance. After the ceremony, a stream of reporters flocked around Lillian to ask questions about EPCOT. One reporter commented on Walt’s absence asking, “Isn’t it too bad that Walt wasn’t here to see this?” And Lillian looked at him and smilingly said, “Honey, you just don’t understand. Walt saw this first!”

What a great story (my favorite Disney story) about the truth in dreams and vision. We have long discussed the importance of vision in our leadership principles of corporate culture. Tom Peter’s in his book “In Search of Excellence” profiled several successful companies to determine what the foundation of that success was. In each case, it was a strong vision. Jim Collins in his book “Built to Last” (my favorite between the 2) said the same thing. Walter Bennis in his book “Leadership” also wrote about the catalyst for a companies success - when the vision is born.

But the true defining moment of greatness for a company is that moment when the vision translates form paper into the hearts and the heads of the people. Because it takes people to make any vision a reality. When Martin Luther King gave his famous speech many years ago he said, “I have a dream!” What he was really saying is I have a vision! For he could see the future and he dedicated and sacrificed his life to helping others see his vision. And today, his vision is becoming reality. Through people. Now that was a leader.

Last month we talked about the believers in your company. Those individuals who still believe in what your organization stands for and what it means to be a member of your team. The believer’s message was simple. You either think, talk and act positively or you get out. The believers are the keepers of the vision. They are the ones who rededicate themselves to the realization of that vision everyday - even on the days they don’t feel like it. They are never without their “10” jacket.

For your organization’s vision to stay alive, it requires people to make it so. Vision gives us a sense of purpose. It does not say that we won’t try new things or new programs. Change in an organization’s business plan does not necessarily mean change in its vision. Sometimes the business plan must change to keep the vision alive.

Contrast in Politics

Okay, so my 2 weeks of watching every night of TV are over and I must say the difference between the two were incredible.

Week one, the DNC was like watching Oceans 11 and week two, the RNC was like watching Cocoon!

Now, it does not matter which party I like because that is not what this post is all about. What I did notice is the change in tone between the two. A change that reflects the speakers. And once again, I can relate it back to corporate culture.

Your corporate culture is made up of the collective personal values of the people who work for your organization. The values of a culture determine the attitudes - the attitudes determine the emotions and the emotions the behaviors. And what did we see? A crowd full of people acting out the values of the speakers giving speeches to them.

The DNC was energized with class-filled speeches. Never mind whether I agreed with their thoughts or not, they elevated the debate above "name calling." Which used to be the DNC's main weapon. Instead, we heard inspiring speeches about possibility and promise.

Then we turn to week two and wee see Grumpy Old Men tearing down the other people. Critical of their speeches, attacking the people and not the ideals. I can remember a few years ago in 2004 when it was the opposite.

But my how things change. Whenever you hire a new person or select a new volunteer, always keep in mind that they will pour their beliefs and values into the culture well that is your company. It doesn't take long before the water in your well starts to smell.

Hire people who fit your culture. Whose ideals and behaviors reflect those of your culture. And let years of experience take a back seat - you can always train job function.

The World Outside

So, I just got back from my high school reunion (pictures of us "getting the band back together" to the right) - which year is not important, but lets just say it was long enough for a Rogain booth at the entrance - and I lived the "out of the box" experience.

As I caught up with my classmates, there was a definitive line between those who had left my small town (lets call them the in-towners) and those who had not (lets call them the out-of-towners.) For my class, the out-of-towners crowd was very small, just a handful of us. Most people who thought they qualified for out-of-town status actually just moved to another really small town, so they still lived as in-towners.


The first question you always ask is, "so what do you do?" My answer - Creative Sensei for a boutique consulting firm on the East Coast - left most people with blank stares and polite, "that's nice" responses. Okay, maybe our clever use of titles at our company is a bit much, so I tried the real title - Creative Director - and that made no difference - at least not to the in-towners.

As I sat on the plane waiting for takeoff, it hit me. The in-towners are the group of people in companies who resist change, follow the old guard and never, never think out of the box! These are the real party poopers on the new idea or process you want to introduce. They not only like the fabric of the company as it was sewn 25 years ago when it was founded, but they guard against anyone seeing anything new into it.

The point I realized is that its not that the in-towners were not as smart as me or that they were somehow stuck in time. They just never got the opportunity to get out of town (or in this case out of the box.) We all have comfort zones and I wish right now the guy sitting next tome on this flight understood mine. Anyway, the culture of an organization is the culmination of the shared values of its people.

At my reunion, I felt like the guy trying to explain why the clock is not flashing on my VCR (okay I am into Blu-ray now, but the clock thing does not work for that.) I could not understand how these people had no idea what a Creative Director did. Doesn't everyone know?

Perhaps us people who think outside the box spend a little too much time out there and loose touch with those inside. What can I do differently to make sure that I am engaging the in-towners and not alienating them or making them feel like lower class citizens of the company just because they do not share my beliefs or love of life out-of-town.

The in-towners values are part of the culture and I need to connect to them if I want to make a difference. Not by blowing them away with my creativity or posters or slogans, but by living a life of openness and paitence - always listening to the in-towners and involving them in the process. Because after all, everyone likes to travel!

Apologies for MIA Blog

Culture Fans -

So sorry, but there seems to be some technical difficulty in the blog world and all of my previous posts are in cyberspace somewhere. We will keep working on it, but until then thanks for reading.

It could be me. (Oh please don't let it be me that deleted everything!)