So much has been written on the topic of company culture and its connection to happiness and success in the workplace. It has been my experience working with many organizations over the years, that culture can take years to build and only a blink of an eye to lose.

Some of us at some point in our careers have been lucky enough to be part of something special. You know it, and you feel it when it happens. Unfortunately, that kind of experience alludes most people. A recent Gallup Poll revealed that 70% of U. S. employees hate their jobs. In my thirty-five year career managing people, I have come to believe that people don’t leave their jobs, because they hate their jobs. People leave jobs, because they hate their bosses!

I have been asked over the years by many business leaders, how I would define company culture?

My simple definition of a successful culture is this:

INSPIRED AND ENGAGED PEOPLE IN THE PURSUIT OF MEANINGFUL WORK!

INSPIRED AND ENGAGED PEOPLE have a lot to do with an employee’s immediate supervisor, their leaders, the people they work with each and every day and the teams they are a part of. Unfortunately, in many organizations, people get promoted into leadership positions, not because of their leadership capabilities, but rather a success they had in a previous job or technical role. Competency is a requirement in leadership. No one will follow a leader who is not competent. But competency alone does not equal success. In my opinion, all extraordinary leaders possess high levels of Empathy – the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. To truly care about the people they lead.

IN THE PURSUIT OF MEANINGFUL WORK has a lot to do with the Mission or purpose of an organization and the way they achieve it through a strong set of Principles and Values. The Mission is the reason people get up and go to work every day. Values and Principles are the reason they stay. the Mission, Values and Principles of an organization should not be just some marketing message or pretty poster hung on a wall. They should be belief systems and behaviors engrained in the fabric of every decision that is made and every message that is delivered. They are the mortar between the bricks and the “True North.”

INSPIRED AND ENGAGED PEOPLE IN THE PURSUIT OF MEANINGFUL WORK always achieve better results, exceed customer expectations, are more loyal, happy and make a bigger impacts both inside and outside their organizations. Creating inspiring cultures is an ongoing commitment. It is not a stop and start kind of a thing. It is a way of life.