Unleash Company Culture: Go 'Under the Hood'

"??"Under the Hood: Fire Up and Fine-Tune Your Employee Culture" by Stan Slap is a compelling guide on how the cultivation of a strong and respected employee culture can transform the execution of corporate strategies.

What you'll find here:

1. Is "Under the Hood"? for you???

2. What is "Under the Hood" about???

3. Idea Express: How to put three (3) concepts (Culture and Strategy Implementation, Seven Deadly Sins of Cultural Commitment, and The Power of Employee Culture) to work for you today!?

BONUS: The most interesting concept in "Under the Hood" & how to grow your LinkedIn network by one (at the bottom of the article)!

i. The links to Amazon are affiliate links

1. Is?"Under the Hood"?for you?

“If the culture wants something to happen in your business, it will. If it doesn’t, it won’t.”

Business consultants: The book provides strategies for understanding and leveraging effective employee culture, enriching your consulting toolkit.

Entrepreneurs: "Under the Hood' offers insights on building a strong culture, setting your business on a solid foundation for growth.

Human resource managers: The book offers key insights into nurturing an organization's culture, influencing employee engagement and satisfaction.

Organizational psychologists: This book explores dynamics of employee culture, enriching your understanding of individual and group behavior.

Top-level executives: Understanding the book's insights on employee culture can guide strategic decisions, leading to better implementation and company performance.

2. What is "Under the Hood" about?

"The first step to solving any problem is to accept one’s own accountability for creating it."

"Under the Hood: Fire Up and Fine-Tune Your Employee Culture" by Stan Slap is an eye-opening exploration of the critical role of employee culture in the successful execution of corporate strategy. Arguing against the traditional top-down perspective, Slap proposes that it's the employee culture, not executives, that drive a company's success. Utilizing real-world examples, such as GoDaddy, he illustrates the power of an engaged and supportive workforce. He presents the "seven deadly sins of cultural commitment" as cautionary points for leaders, while stressing empathy, respect, and humanity as cornerstones of effective leadership. Whether facing scaling, mergers, complacency, or high-pressure situations, Slap advocates for resilience and a strong organizational culture. If you're eager to truly understand and leverage your employee culture, then "Under the Hood" is a must-read.

Are you ready to unlock the power of your employee culture and fuel the successful execution of your corporate strategy?

If the answer is yes, then diving "Under the Hood" with Stan Slap is an adventure you cannot afford to miss.

• AMAZON: Audiobook (6 hours, 27minutes) and book available:

3. IDEA EXPRESS: How to put three (3) concepts* from "Under the Hood" into practice today!

1?? Culture and Strategy Implementation

2??Seven Deadly Sins of Cultural Commitment

3??The Power of Employee Culture

*You'll find several more concepts in the book

1??CULTURE AND STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION

"You can’t sell it outside if you can’t sell it inside.”

"Under the Hood" underscores the significance of culture in the implementation of strategic initiatives. It emphasizes that success is not entirely dependent on planning but on the execution and actualization of strategies by the organization's workforce. In essence, the organizational culture determines the effectiveness of strategic implementation. The book presents numerous real-world examples, like the case of GoDaddy, to illustrate how fostering a supportive employee culture results in exceptional performance even under demanding circumstances.

Page-to-practice idea for you:

• Suppose you're leading a team project aiming to increase the company's social media presence. Start by ensuring everyone in the team understands and is invested in this goal, illustrating how it aligns with the broader company vision. Encourage each team member to voice their ideas about how their role can contribute to this objective, thus fostering a culture where everyone feels integral to the strategy. This could mean your graphic designers working on more visually compelling posts, your copywriters experimenting with engaging captions, or your analysts studying metrics to understand which content gets the most traction.

Page-to-practice ideas tailored to:

• Business consultants: Advise clients to align their strategy with their culture. Guide them to involve all team members in strategy planning and execution.
• Entrepreneurs: As you build your business, ensure your team understands the strategy and how it ties to your vision. Promote transparency so everyone knows their role in achieving the company's objectives.
• Human resource managers: Encourage open communication to align all employees with the organization's strategy. Be proactive in facilitating discussions around strategy and culture.
• Organizational psychologists: Help clients see the benefits of aligning their strategies with their culture. Advocate for inclusiveness in strategy planning and implementation.
• Top-level executives: Develop a strategy that resonates with your company's culture and involve all team members in its execution. Promote transparency and inclusiveness.

2??SEVEN DEADLY SINS OF CULTURAL COMMITMENT

"Instead of waiting for a leader you can believe in, try this: Become a leader you can believe in."

The book introduces a framework known as the "seven deadly sins of cultural commitment." These "sins" are common mistakes that executives and managers make when trying to shape or understand their organization's culture. They range from a lack of respect for the employee culture to overemphasis on financial incentives, and from imposing rapid changes on employees to neglecting to include the workforce in planning and executing strategic initiatives. The book emphasizes that avoiding these "sins" and understanding the unique characteristics of a firm's culture are crucial for fostering commitment and driving successful strategy execution.

Page-to-practice idea for you:

• Suppose you're noticing a drop in employee engagement. It could be because the leadership is unknowingly committing one of the seven sins, like demonstrating a lack of commitment to the cultural values they've established. To counter this, commit to holding regular 'culture check-in' meetings where you transparently discuss the company's adherence to its cultural values. This can create a space for employees to voice concerns and for leadership to course-correct when necessary, hence preventing the detrimental impact of the seven sins on the company culture

Page-to-practice ideas tailored to:

• Business consultants: Help your clients understand the importance of monitoring their cultural health. Suggest methods like 'culture check-in' meetings to assess alignment with company values.
• Entrepreneurs: Regularly check on your start-up's cultural health. Encourage open discussions about company values and be receptive to feedback.
• Human resource managers: Implement programs that assess and improve the company's culture. Listen to employees' concerns and take actions to address them.
• Organizational psychologists: Help organizations recognize signs of a declining cultural commitment and provide them with strategies to address the issues.
• Top-level executives: Continually monitor your company's cultural health. Be receptive to feedback and ensure company values are being upheld.

3??THE POWER OF EMPLOYEE CULTURE

"The first step to solving any problem is to accept one’s own accountability for creating it.”

A central theme of the book is the power and influence of employee culture within an organization. The author argues that executives often underestimate the power of their employee culture and wrongly assume that they, as leaders, solely determine their firm's success. The book emphasizes that a supportive and engaged employee culture can significantly aid in achieving organizational goals. Moreover, it presents the idea that the culture is an independent organism that continually seeks and validates information, indicating that executives need to understand and work with their culture rather than trying to impose changes from the top down.

Page-to-practice idea for you:

• If you are planning a shift in your product line, don't make it a top-down decision. Involve employees from different levels and departments in brainstorming sessions, or create a company-wide survey to gather ideas. This not only aids in generating more diverse and innovative ideas, but also makes everyone feel like they're a part of the change, reinforcing the power of the collective culture in driving the company's success. This gives everyone the sense that they are contributing to the company's evolution, which can boost morale, engagement, and commitment.

Page-to-practice ideas tailored to:

• Business consultants: Promote the value of employee culture to your clients. Illustrate the benefits of involving all levels of employees in decision-making.
• Entrepreneurs: Foster a sense of ownership among your team by involving them in key decisions. This can boost commitment and drive your business success.
• Human resource managers: Advocate for employee involvement in decision-making. Illustrate to the higher-ups how this can improve morale and productivity.
• Organizational psychologists: Help companies appreciate the value of employee culture in decision-making. Showcase the positive impact of incorporating employee input.
• Top-level executives: Leverage your employee culture in decision-making to foster innovation and boost engagement. Show the rest of the company that you value their input.

• AMAZON: Audiobook (6 hours, 27minutes) and book available:

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BONUS: The most interesting concept in "Under the Hood"

If I had to choose one thing, I'd say what I found most interesting is the concept of "The Power of Employee Culture." It's not just about the big decisions made at the top, but about fostering a culture where everyone feels they have a stake and a voice. This underscores how much of an asset an engaged workforce can be, shaping the company's direction, encouraging innovation, and ultimately driving performance. It's a powerful reminder that people really are at the heart of any successful organization.

Which of the concepts from “Under the Hood” did you find most interesting?

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HOW TO GROW YOUR LINKEDIN NETWORK BY ONE

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