EP# 157: Raising the Dial - Jason Barger (Entrepreneur, Best Selling Author)

Paper Napkin Wisdom

Just in time for Christmas, there’s cold weather in the upcoming forecast here in Ottawa. So it’s fitting that today’s podcast discusses ways to raise the temperature on company culture. If you’re a long-time Paper Napkin Wisdom fan, you’re familiar with Motivational Speaker and Leadership Consultant Jason Barger. In today’s chat, we focused on how companies can collaboratively create and maintain a positive culture, or in Jason’s words, “Be a thermostat; proactively set your temperature.” Jason details this sentiment in his new book Thermostat Culture. The book centers on the difference between a thermometer and a thermostat – while thermometers just report the temperature, the thermostat controls and regulates the environment. “Culture is dynamic,” Jason says, “The most successful cultures are proactively managed.”

For the past decade, organizations and pundits have become obsessed with company culture. But Jason points out that a great culture consists of more than foosball tables, catered lunches and casual attire. “We throw around the term ‘culture’ so loosely. Part of setting a thermostat culture revolves around constant measuring and re-aligning,” Jason remarks.

So, how can companies effectively measure this culture? Jason proposes a method he’s dubbed “The 6A Process”. First, leaders must assess the current temperature. Jason recalls an instance where he and his hiking companions lost their way in the Adirondacks.

“We weren’t clear where we were on the map,” he recalls, “Until you travel to Point Z, you have to know where point A is.” He suggests having “conversations about the currency for change”, in which organizations really take an honest look at their current culture and assess the need for change. The second ‘A’, aligning, refers to bringing the organization together to determine whether or not everyone is aligned on the assessment and the need for improvement. “Basically, everyone needs to collectively agree on whether or not they’re buying into it,” Jason says.

Once aligned, organizations need to begin to determine where they want to be. “A wise man once said ‘He who aims for nothing, hits it every time’,” Jason says. He suggests giving people space during this period and allowing them to buy in to the ultimate company culture vision. The fourth ‘A’ stresses the importance of clearly articulating the culture. Developing, revising or referring to a brand platform that outlines mission and vision statements, core values and key messages is especially helpful during this time.

The final two ‘A’s – action and anchor – go hand in hand. Organizations must decide what they need to do to ensure their culture permeates through all aspects of their business and develop systems to make it stick. “After these steps are complete, I remind people to revisit them every so often – especially during times where it seems like the culture is going off-kilter,” Jason advises.

Developing and maintaining a strong company culture is undoubtedly one of the tenets of a great organization. However, Jason warns organizations to not get too comfortable. “The phrase ‘We have a good culture’ should end with a comma, not a period. Whenever it ends with a period, I’ve found that the culture is in peril. There should always be conversations surrounding ways to keep the culture alive. You have to make that investment.”

What are some of the ways you keep your organizations’ culture afloat? Share it with us via Twitter at www.twitter.com/wisenapkin or Facebook www.facebook.com/PaperNapkinWisdom