We often use the metaphor of an iceberg to represent company culture. What can be obviously seen jutting above the water line are tangible performance criteria such as spreadsheets, technological processes and financial data. Yet this is just the tip of the iceberg. Underneath the water line lies the mass of ice representing the more intangible people related drivers such as emotional engagement, behaviours, communications, relationships, energy and values.
These are our areas of focus when partnering with our clients on leadership and capability. They are often referred to as ‘soft skill’ areas as opposed to technical ‘hard skills’ and competencies that can be more easily tracked to results. We have spent over a decade learning about ways to measure these intangibles so that they are not seen as a ‘nice to have’ but a strategic imperative. Our services include diagnostics that provide a gap analysis between personal, current culture and desired culture values.
While it is important to be clear about what your values mean, it is also important that your stakeholders find them credible. At an individual level values provide the building blocks to one’s personality. At an organisational level, brand values create cultural capital. As cited by Innovest Investment Research, intangible value drivers can represent 60%-85% of a company’s market value.
The value of a brand or organisational identity goes far beyond external communications and design. When effectively managed it’s an energy that gets translated into everyday processes and behaviours by the people who represent the brand itself. This is what creates a culture that is consistent with a company’s vision and strategy. We specialise in helping our clients’ manage the connections between individual, team and organisational identity.
