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Tips for Transforming a Companys Culture

Transforming a company’s culture isn’t for the faint of heart. It takes a lot of courage, dedication, and plenty of humility. While that’s sounds contradictory or confusing, it’s actually the case. You’re going to need to lead in a new direction and be able to take things in stride (at least, to a point). Because changing an organization’s culture will feel much like trying to push a boulder up a steep hill. At any moment, it can roll right over you. But, if you know a few ways to deal with this change, you’ll have a much better shot at success.

Tips for Transforming a Company’s Culture

It’s very common for a company’s culture to reflect the prevailing management style. Let’s face it, most individuals tend to hire people who reflect their own style, so this isn’t a surprise. That means if a hiring manager or another leader has certain bad habits, chances are excellent others on team will likewise possess those same or like behaviors. It’s also true that culture doesn’t form overnight. It takes time for a company culture to develop.

As a [business owner] or as a manager, you may have the power to change your organization’s policies with the stroke of a pen. And you may have the ability to hire, fire, promote and demote people with relatively little effort. But changing an entrenched culture is the toughest task you will face. To do so, you must win the hearts and minds of the people you work with, and that takes both cunning and persuasion. —The Wall Street Journal

Once that culture forms, it’s very difficult to change. People become complacent and it takes a significant event to shake that off. It could be a big change in the industry for the worse, losing a lot of money, a sudden shrink in customers, or something else. Great cultures drive productivity and profits. Poor cultures slow productivity and profits. Culture starts with Leadership. So, it’s very important to realize when the culture is toxic and/or when crazy has infiltrated the business. It’s at this juncture you need to take immediate action. Here are some helpful tips for transforming a company’s culture:

Team-up with an insider. If you are new to the business, team-up with an insider — someone who can give you the details of what’s happened is a very valuable person. Or, if you’re part of a company that’s just gone awry, you still need someone you can trust. A person who gives you confidence you’re getting the straight story. You’ll learn a lot and probably discover different ways to get back on-track.
Get feedback from team members. Aside from your go-to person, you still need to solicit feedback from the entire team. Encourage people to communicate their experiences and expectations. This is a great way to identify who is and isn’t working out. You’ll know by each person’s input and reactions who is an asset and who is a liability. Then, you can work with individuals to help them improve.
Define the limits and be extra clear. While getting in-the-loop will provide a lot of valuable information, it’s not going to be a magic bullet. You’ll still need to define boundaries and be very clear on your expectations. Remember the old saying, “To be unclear is to be unkind.” It’s true and will certainly prove as much if you do not define your goals.
Be bold and take the lead when necessary. What all of this means is, you’ll have to lead by example. You must set the tone day in and day out so everyone has a chance to adjust. Eventually, a new normal, a better culture, will evolve.

Have you taken over an organization and changed its culture? How did you approach the situation? What other tips and tricks do you suggest to change a company’s culture. Please share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a comment.

Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

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Is Crazy Creating Chaos in Your Company?

May 5, 2017 No Comments

We all deal with crazy (read: difficult) people in life. They are rude, obnoxious, oblivious, pitiful, without fault, always victims, stir up drama, and what’s worse, don’t know so. You see, the problem with him or her is someone else besides he or she: another coworker, a family member, perhaps even you. As the head of an organization, no matter its size, you’re bound to run into crazy and what’s simply insane is the fact that you let them through the door in the first place. This is just one way business owners and managers rationalize a situation that’s spiraling out of control. “It’s a phase,” or “he or she just needs a little extra motivation.” Though these thoughts might bring a modicum of comfort, it will be short-lived. If you are faced with an employee that’s ultimately doing more harm than good, you’ve got to deal with the situation before it has time to inflict more damage. Ways to Deal with Difficult Employees In most instances, people that behave this way aren’t at all aware of reality. While you and the rest of your team know it, the problem personality probably has a peculiar position. This is a moving or adaptable perception that assigns blame away from him or her. Of course, this makes things worse because he or she won’t be easily convinced as to what’s truly going on. Often, when an employee is difficult we stop paying attention to what’s actually going on. We’re irritated, it seems hopeless, and we’ve already decided what we think about the employee – so we just turn our attention to other things, out of a combination of avoidance and self-protection. But the best managers get very attentive when someone’s not doing well. They know their best shot at improving the situation lies in having the clearest possible understanding of the situation… —Forbes.com The very first thing you ought to do is to take stock of the dynamics. Put yourself in his or her shoes to try and gain some perspective. If that comes up short and doesn’t provide any tangible answers, you now know he or she is the real source of the problem. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to take crazy out of the company: Separate fact from friction. Yes, friction, as well as fiction. Friction between employees can easily lead to you taking sides because of your affinity for one over the other, which is where fiction comes into play. You should act on facts, not feelings, and not because of favorites. Don’t confuse performance with conduct. One rationalization for keeping problematic employees in the company is because of their so-called “redeeming qualities.” While he or she might well possess some great performance traits, it is his or her conduct that’s actually most important. What he or she might be producing individually could well be undermining his or her peers. Take time to listen and offer solutions. Should the person who brings crazy chaos into your company be a productive team member, you ought to try to invoke a turn-around. Go into a private place and ask if he or she is having any problems, then, tactfully offer solutions. If the response is knee-jerk or obtuse, it’s probably time for ultimatums. Lend a helping hand. Not your own, but someone within your organization you trust. This works best peer-to-peer, where coaching captures cooperation. Though this can work wonders, it can also become a tempting choice in the future. Don’t use it as the fallback position or you’ll simply be known for passing difficult personalities out for others to deal with. Ultimately, you are fighting to deal with a situation, not to win by wrangling control away. You want to create a solution, not to win an argument. If you do chose the latter, you are choosing to join in the craziness and even make the environment worse. Also, know when you’re at your limit, as not every situation can be resolved. There will be times when simply parting ways will be the best solution for you and your business. [shareaholic app=”follow_buttons” id=”26833294″]

Guest Post: How To Collect Receivables Faster

July 15, 2018 No Comments

Any business that sends out invoices knows the frustration of waiting to get paid. This is especially true when you’re dependent on those payments to make payroll or fund necessary business expenses. How can you keep running your business when your clients drag their feet about paying you? Is there anything more frustrating than the endless cycle of hassling customers about their bills? If you’re facing this challenge, what you need are ideas for motivating your clients to pay on time. With that in mind, here are seven tips for how to collect receivables faster. 1. Use customer-friendly accounts receivable practices. To be certain you’re not the reason payments get delayed, make sure you are following your clients’ accounts payable procedures. It’s well worth the extra effort to make sure your invoices are not missing information that will delay processing. Likewise, bill promptly — immediately upon delivery or completion of the service, not weeks later. Also, a few days before an invoice is due, contact the client to make sure it has everything needed to pay you. 2. Meticulously track your outstanding A/R balances. One key step in reducing Average Days to Pay is tracking. Create an accounts receivable (A/R) aging report to track and measure the payment status of all your customers. Typically, an aging report breaks down accounts into length of time since invoices were issued: 0-30 days, 31-60 days, 61-90 days and past 90 days. Each account will list the business name and how much is owed in each applicable timeframe. Creating and using a report like this will enable you to quickly, seamlessly check for potential problems so you immediately know when someone’s slow to pay — and then determine your best course of action. 3. Be proactive about getting payments. Believe it or not, your clients are less likely to pay you the longer their invoices are outstanding. In other words, the longer they go without paying, the less likely they are to ever pay. Don’t wait until payments are far past due to contact your clients. A week before the due date, send clients a friendly alert. Soon after the bill is due, start contacting them with gentle reminders that payment needs to be made. 4. Encourage advance payments. Whether you require a retainer on projects or request an advance, finding ways to get clients to pay something upfront can make a huge difference in your business cash flow. Advance payments greatly improve cash flow, as well as reduce your exposure to late or uncollectable receivables — giving you peace of mind as well as a more solid financial foundation. 5. Provide an early payment discount. While you may not want to discount your invoices, consider this: If a two percent discount gets you payment, that’s 98 percent more than you’d have gotten while you were waiting for a client to pay its bill. Try giving clients a small discount if they pay within 10 days, for example. In exchange for the small decrease, you might boost your overall cash flow. 6. Accept multiple payment options. Make it easier for your clients to pay you by accepting a variety of payment options, including checks, credit cards, PayPal and other online payment solutions. You may even want to suggest automatic payments for recurring clients to simplify and automate the billing process — something that may be very appealing to your clients. 7. Know when to enlist collection agencies. Most companies don’t want to resort to unleashing collection agencies on their clients, especially when they’re trying to maintain good relationships with them. In situations where accounts are severely delinquent, however, you may have no other choice. Research several options, look for a company that will deal professionally with you and your clients, and move forward confidently, knowing how important it is to get paid. Nobody enjoys the hassle of chasing down payments — yet knowing how to collect accounts receivable in a timely manner is essential to successful business. If you’re struggling with getting clients to pay on time, start implementing the tips above. It could make all the difference in your cash flow month to month. Author bio: Shanna Mallon is a copywriter for Straight North, a Chicago-based Internet marketing agency that specializes in B2B SEO, PPC, email marketing and web design. A freelance writer, Shanna has been creating online content professionally since 2007.

Whether Fender Misconstrued P.T. Barnum or Oscar Wilde, There Is Such a Thing as Bad Press

June 18, 2026 No Comments

ICYMI, the Fender guitar corporation recently launched an aggressive intellectual property lawsuit campaign, demanding that foreign instrument manufacturers cease and desist, recall recent sales, and destroy their existing stock. Naturally, the companies haven’t received the demands well. What’s more, it sparked a huge backlash among the music community, particularly among musicians who play Fender or Fender-styled instruments.

Tips for Transforming a Companys Culture