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Seven Ways Companies Can Realign Culture And Vision

Forbes Coaches Council
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Forbes Coaches Council

Today's leaders know that culture and vision are what enable a diverse team to work together toward common goals. This means leaders must take steps to shape the culture and enforce the vision in a cohesive way — and sometimes get rid of past structures that no longer serve the business.

But where do you start? The first step is to recognize when the two are not in alignment. Next , begin taking small steps in the direction that best supports the business's vision. If you're diligent about where you focus your attention and the ways you communicate, your team will follow suit.

To learn more about how leaders can realign culture and vision, we asked members of Forbes Coaches Council to share their opinions. Here's what they said:

Clockwise from top left: Connie Meyer, Linette Montae, Jen Kelchner, Emily Kapit, Justin Sachs, Jay Rooke, Mary Schaefer. All photos courtesy of the individual members.

1. Leaders: Be Intentional About What You Pay Attention To And What You Ignore

Over time, people develop beliefs about what actions lead to success and which ones get punished (invisible cultural norms). If a bold vision for the future requires new ways of thinking, it will hit the cultural roadblock. Leaders can constantly shape culture by what they pay attention to, what they ignore, what gets rewarded and the decisions, policies, structures and strategies they develop.   – Connie MeyerPerformance Partners

2. Examine Profit Margins

Culture is the very foundation of a successful company and the fastest way to recognize misalignment with vision is to examine your profit margins. To change the culture, create 5-7 core company values and share them with stakeholders. Revise company policies to reflect those values. Challenge leaders to embody the values with employees and empower employees to exemplify the values with customers.   – Linette MontaeProfitable CEO

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3. Know Your Vision, Know Your People And Be Adaptable

Use your vision and values as a compass for all decisions in order to stay in alignment to where you are going. Make sure you have the right people on your team. Listen to and know your people as they are mission critical to your success. Stay flexible on the journey while remaining true to your values. Remember that your culture will change as your organization evolves.   – Jen KelchnerKelchner Advisory

4. Inquire From Within

What better way to assess this than by asking team members? (I'd suggest an anonymous survey to get more honest responses.) Part of that survey should include a place to suggest ways of modifying the company culture and vision so they better align. Learn from your colleagues, follow up on suggestions that make sense for your organization, and implement changes from the top down for maximum success.   – Emily Kapit, MS, MRW, ACRW, CPRWReFresh Your Step, LLC

5. Surveys Are Key

One of the best ways to see how your company's culture is influencing its employees and customers is to do a survey.  One of the best steps to getting your company's culture back on track is to set up "Corporate Standards of Excellence." Ask your leaders, "What are the main commitments we want to make to our customers, and how do we want their experience to be when working with our company?"       – Justin SachsMotivational Press

6. Identify Which Customers Are Happiest

Did the culture and vision ever align to begin with? If so, and your company is not a commodity, but your sales team keeps losing sales based on price, then you’ve deviated from center and lost your wow factor. Identify which customers are raving fans, and realign your efforts around cultivating experiences that make these customers swoon. The bad news: A leadership change may be in order.   – Jay RookeJay Rooke Coaching

7. Operationalize The Abstract

It's imperative that leaders do their personal work, get honest feedback, get coached, have accountability mechanisms in place and embody the desired values of the culture they want to move to. You can't get what you can't give. Another piece that helps is open discussions with employees about what the espoused culture looks like and doesn't, with concrete examples. This itself starts a shift.   – Mary SchaeferArtemis Path, Inc.