Entrepreneurs: Consciously Build Your Culture
by Miki Saxon
Great culture is about values, not fancy offices, free food, perks, etc., because, done well, it provides a blueprint for any worker faced with making a decision.
Great cultures don’t happen by accident or benign neglect, nor do they grow organically.
They are the result of focused thought, intentional design and, focused effort.
They are sustained through exceedingly careful hiring and the willingness to walk away from a candidate whose values aren’t compatible.
For great insight into building a values-based company read this interview with John Montgomery, founder of Bridgeway Capital Management.
The investment industry is known more for its greed than its social sensitivity, but Bridgeway has been making waves for more than 20 years by giving 50% of its profits to charity and capping top salaries.
Montgomery’s approach has been profitable, as well as a talent magnet and retention tool.
John, you founded Bridgeway Capital Management 22 years ago and your firm grew to manage billions in assets. Many people are drawn to your firm because you are values-driven, and your website says your core values are: ‘integrity, performance, efficiency, and service’. What does it mean to live these values? (…) “We’re not trying to create golden handcuffs to keep people in place. We’re trying to create an amazing place to work where people can provide investment advisory services and give back at the same time. On my team — the investment advisory team — we’ve lost one portfolio manager or researcher in 20 years.”
If a culture built around ‘integrity, performance, efficiency, and service’ can propel and sustain a company in an industry like financial services where talk is cheap and talent is supposedly focused only on what’s in it for them, think what strong values can do for your company.
Image credit: Dave Gray
