Sandy Fekete | Companies Are People, Too

Posts Tagged 'Sandy Fekete'

Guiding Decisions and Behaviors – The Refectory and Company Culture

Posted by Sandy Fekete, Companies Are People, Too on February 5, 2013

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 – anniversaries, birthdays, closing the big deals. The Refectory is a brand that consistently delivers on its brand promise.

In a conversation with owner Kamal Boulos about the Refectory’s culture, he reflected on “who we have become and the thinking that drives myself and the two key people who have shared this journey with me for the last 35 years.” That team has done a lot of things right, from always being there to greet customers to giving back to the community and celebrating the achievements of community leaders. Like many small business owners, Kamal has focused on achieving excellence every day and only recently realized the importance of articulating the purpose and values that will sustain the business when the founders move on. He realizes that they will serve as a compass that guides decisions and behaviors.

“The first step was articulating them, and we are engaged in Step Two, which is communicating them to everyone.” Next, he will define behaviors associated with each value and weave those into performance standards. Kamal shared his five core values, which are “a work in progress”, inspired by Nancy Kramer’s Resource Interactive culture:

Pursue Excellence (in every area – our knowledge, how we apply it, work ethic, attention to detail, attitude, maturity and mindset)

Treat Everyone with Respect (if we want others to accept us for who we are, we must first accept them. We can disagree with others without showing disrespect)

Be a Person of Integrity (be honest in relationships; resolve issues only with those directly involved)

Be a Giver (to those we work with, to those we serve, to our community, and to those we do business with)

Care! (about yourself, your family, those we work with, those we serve, the company we work for and the equipment/resources we use.)

We did not discuss Kamal’s mission and vision, but I saw this vision statement from Bali Intercontinental Hotel that is memorable and actionable.

There are some great resources for businesses interested in doing the work Kamal is doing. My favorite is Jim Collins’ vision framework and I also like Simon Sinek’s book, Start with Why and his Why University, which guides you through the process. It is extremely difficult and time consuming to do this work in a vacuum – a trained facilitator is recommended for objectivity, open dialogue and building consensus. If you want to put your toe in the water, have your management team start with taking the Companies Are People, Too organizational personality assessment.

Tags: brand behavior, columbas dispatch, columbus m onthly, columbus restaurants, Companies are people too, company culture, company culture decision making, organizational assessment, Sandra Fekete, Sandy Fekete, start with why, The Refectory, vision framework, why university, Zagat, zagat rating

Posted in: Brand Alignment, Company Culture, Organizational Development, Organizational Personality

Finding Your Organizational Identity

Posted by Sandy Fekete, Companies Are People, Too on December 11, 2012

Remember the WWJD bracelets worn as a reminder to base our daily decisions on what Jesus would do? Because we know Jesus’ values, how he lived his life, and examples that he shared, the WWJD question is easy to answer across a broad spectrum of circumstances. We can be fairly certain we will make good decisions using this framework as our guide.

When your team is expected to make decisions that will greatly impact your company, what framework do they use? How comfortable are they that they will make the right decision? Will they opt to please the boss, or follow their personal preferences? Empowered employees need more than “let your conscience be your guide.” Ideally, everyone is well indoctrinated about the company’s core mission, vision, and values. There is no better framework…..assuming they can remember the company’s core ideology.

There is a way to embody these characteristics…literally. Creating a persona gives a human face to the otherwise intangible dimensions of organizational identity. What emerges is a fictional yet factual representation of the character of the company. Hoselton Auto Mall in Rochester, NY learned about their company’s personality with Companies Are People, Too. Using an Up Close and Personal exercise, they created Walt to personify the company. Everyone “met” Walt and knew his favorite food, most prized possession, best trip ever, cars he drove, where he goes for inspiration, what he likes most about himself, what it is he just can’t stand, what he does for relaxation…you get the picture. Walt was introduced at a pep rally to the entire team, who were given WWWD bracelets as a take away. Every existing and new team member refers to What Would Walt Do? as their framework for decision making.

Elford Construction’s “Pop” persona drives behaviors tied to each core value. The “Pop” award is given to the employee who best demonstrates behaviors that align with Pop’s core ideology.

You can find more examples of personified companies and get more resources to help you find your company’s persona on the Companies Are People, Too website.

The drive for consistency is strong in every successful organization. Decisions based on the values and preferences of the company deliver consistency, clarity, and alignment. What are you waiting for? Start your organization on a pathway to success today. Contact Sandra Fekete to learn more and take your FREE trial Companies Are People, Too assessment to get your company moving in the right direction.

Tags: building company culture, cap2, captoo, Companies are people too, company culture, framework for decision making, organizational culture, organizational identity, Sandra Fekete, Sandy Fekete

Posted in: Brand Alignment, Company Culture, Organizational Development, Organizational Personality

What does your tagline say about your culture?

Posted by Sandy Fekete, Companies Are People, Too on October 3, 2012

I was astounded to learn that Avis’ iconic slogan, “We Try Harder” has been replaced with “It’s Your Space” in an effort to target the profitable corporate user segment. New ads show businessmen driving Beemers, singing on their way to a meeting. What does this have to do with motivating employees, living its values, or delivering a brand promise? “It’s Your Space” makes a great campaign targeting a very specific audience. But it is not a tagline. There is no manifesto written around it as there was for We Try Harder (which, incidentally was named one of the top campaigns of the 20th Century by CNBC).

What does your tagline say about your culture? Is it motivating to employees–giving them something to act on? Is it promising something to your customer that your entire team can deliver? Does it align with your values? Here are a few other great taglines that accomplish those objectives. Can you identify the company they belong to?

You’re in good hands
You deserve a break
Just Do It
Think Different
The Few. The Proud.
We bring good things to life.
When you care enough to send the very best.

Tags: best taglines, Companies are people too, company culture, company taglines, culture driven taglines, great taglines, motivating employees, organizational culture, Sandra Fekete, Sandy Fekete

Posted in: Brand Alignment, Change Management, Company Culture, Organizational Development