So, Company Culture and Engagement is apparently a big deal… finally?

 So, I’m a little angry.

Or, maybe a little hurt.

 I’ve been working in the business world for over a quarter century (insert angry old man joke here) and even though I started as a brand and strategy guy, I understood the role of culture in organizational performance long ago. I understood it so much, that I ended up getting my masters in it, and have been part of three culture and leadership firms over 20 years. I co-own one now.

For a majority of this time, when I, and the people I work with, would travel or network or whatever, and we’d tell folks what we do, every single time, the response was the same;

“Oh that’s good stuff.”

“We totally need that.”

”Can’t do anything without people.”

“People are our most important asset.”

It was great to hear that, and I believe it was usually heartfelt. It is logical that we all want to work in a great place, contribute to a cause, have our ideas heard, and grow professionally and personally. Yet over my career in trying to prove the value of Culture and Engagement as business critical factors, the number of true believer leaders we’ve worked with is embarrassingly small. As the marketing guy, I’ll own that some of this is due to our abilities and resources to go to market, but we’ve also experienced leaders and decision-makers that look us dead in the eye, say that Culture and engaged employees are crucial, then never try, or only placate with a single team building, or employee survey.

So why has it taken this long for corporate culture to become mainstream? And even if the business media is more comfortable promoting stories of this ilk, are the number of companies investing in culture and engagement really growing?

 Boy, I hope so – Because I still believe.

Trust me, I’m ecstatic that this stuff is trending. For sure I am. I’ve been lucky enough to see organizations make massive shifts in behaviors, and subsequently performance, because they truly saw how people could be the force multiplier in succeeding at change and achievement.

I’ve seen it first hand. (and I’m the most skeptical, non-touchy-feely guy there is)

In the work that we do, I’ve seen leaders learn about culture, change their personal styles, and commit to upholding the behaviors they knew could drive performance and inclusion. I’ve seen managers empower their teams by letting go and pushing collaboration rather than coercion. I’ve seen Union front line workers re-engage after 20 years of battling management because they were given the chance to define their own work, solve their own problems and let go of the past.

Collaborating with our clients, I’ve seen start-ups succeed at change and thrive. I’ve seen old companies reinvent. I’ve seen companies become safer. I’ve seen teams become more effective. I’ve seen employees gain a renewed sense of pride in their jobs.

And that’s all a good thing – because work shouldn’t suck.

That's why I’m still in the game. That’s why there are Organizational Development folks in all types of companies and industries – we all know there’s a better way. A better way to work together, to grow and contribute, to enjoy the work we do every day. We also know that it’s very hard work – because people are involved. But that is why it’s also the most important work; it can actually have a direct impact on the bottom line, and can make or break success and survival.

So maybe I’m not angry or hurt.

Actually, I have to admit, I kind of feel like it’s our time – that maybe my fellow organizational effectiveness practitioners 15 minutes of fame may be finally happening.

The trending #CorporateCulture, and #EmployeeEngagement that we’ve seen the first half of this year is like nothing I’ve seen before. So maybe we’re getting serious about it. I hope so.

We know there’s a better way – ask your resident Org. Development guru how!

Oh, and in case you haven’t heard, a few insights from the mainstream: 

Entrepreneur and CultureIQ Are Searching for the Top Company Cultures

Culture: Why It's The Hottest Topic In Business Today

Focus on Your Company Culture, and Earnings Will Follow