On an EOS Blog post titled “The Soul of Your Company”, Ed Callahan refers to Gino Wickman’s article on whether your company has a soul. Ed also refers to Seth’s Godin’s recent post on Terroir as a component of a company’s soul. I, too, believe that a company has a soul . . . and it’s made up of values of the people within the company. Gino’s article gives a formula of: core values + core focus = soul. He ties it back to Simon Sinek’s TEDTalk that discusses the “Why” of an organization, which Gino relates to the “core values”; and the “What” of an organization, which Gino relates to the “core focus”.
I would also add that the “How”, which is the 3rd component of Simon’s talk, as part of the soul. I see the “How” as how you accomplish the “Why” (core purpose/values), and the “What” (core product/service offering). The “How” is the action of the company in the way they deliver their offering.
To me, the most important component of the “How” is in the way the company behaves in delivering such offering. Sure, the “How” also encompasses the actual process of how products/services are made and delivered. But within the core of those processes is how the people within the organization behave in that process.
When you see consistency in the “Why” (core values) and the “How” (behavior), then you see the true culture or soul of the organization. Core values don’t mean anything unless it’s manifested in the organization’s daily behaviors. That’s where the rubber meets the road. Otherwise, the core values are just words hung on a wall. When you see values exhibited day after day in every business transaction, every relationship contact, in daily operations, then you see the true soul of the company.
Do you have all three defined in your company? The Why, What & How? What does the soul of your company look like?
To Your Business Health,