The minute we walk in the door of a business, we have an immediate sense of its personality. It’s the indelible first impression. The décor is akin to the clothes we select – and how we wear them. And because it’s where employees spend so much time, it has a huge affect on morale.   Yesterday I visited the offices Delta Energy recently built. It was warm, comfortable, inviting, and almost shouted “Make yourself at home.” The...

Over the past few weeks I have seen a lot of advertisements while watching March Madness. One ad in particular stood out to me, Southwest’s new spring campaign ‘Welcome Aboard.’ This ad is very different from the Southwest ads I am accustomed to seeing. It feels like a brand shift to me. The sense of humor is missing and the real employees are replaced with models and a slicker, more corporate look. Let’s take a look at the ad:  ...

Because it was part of the culture of my family of origin, I believe children should be seen and not heard.  That value (respect) drove my behavior as a child, especially in the company of adults.  This very basic example of behaviors modeling beliefs can be extended to corporate America where I believe values should be lived and rarely, if ever, changed.   In Part 1 of our look at the clash of two cultures at the Chicago-based T...

Prior to initiating change it is essential to consider the beliefs and behaviors that are ingrained in the company. Behaviors can be seen – beliefs can’t. This is most apparent in the behaviors of a company’s leadership, which everyone inside and outside the organization sees and monitors. If new leadership is put into place, he/she must behave as the company believes, not as they believe.   Here’s an example: Sam Zell took con...

How does a restaurant earn AAA four stars for 16 consecutive years? The Refectory is the most award-winning restaurant in Columbus and has received Zagat, DiRoNa and Wine Spectator Awards, along with Five Stars from both Columbus Monthly and Columbus Dispatch. Housed in a former church, it is known for its ambiance, excellent food, massive wine cellar, and stellar service.  This is a place you celebrate the events that memories are made of – a...