Ducks in a Row: 6 Principles of Great Culture
by Miki Saxon“[If people are] frustrated by red tape or by having someone breathing down his neck, someone for whom he has scant respect, if he has little influence on decisions which affect his work, and which he may not agree with, then he will pack up and go. And so he should. It is up to us, therefore, to create an organisation which will allow gifted individuals to unfold.” –Ove Arup
Arup walked his talk and ran a company that embodied the six basic principles of a great place to work.
- Differences are nurtured, so individuals can be themselves at work and contribute their unique talents.
- Information is not suppressed or distorted, so people can find out what they need to know to do their work.
- Individuals are given meaningful chances to grow, becoming more valuable to the organization in the process.
- The company is a place where everyone feels proud to work, spurring them to go beyond their stated roles.
- People’s day to day work makes sense to them, and they understand how their own jobs fit in with everyone else’s.
- And they are not hindered by stupid rules.
It may not be easy, but no matter what approach your company takes, or what level manager you are, you can infuse these principles in your own group and shelter them from those above.
It’s not easy, but it can be done and the payoff is amazing.
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