How We Built a Company Culture that Puts People First

How We Built a Company Culture that Puts People FirstHow We Built a Company Culture that Puts People FirstHow We Built a Company Culture that Puts People First Rizzetta, CEO of North 6th Agency, Inc. (N6A), a brand communications agency based in New York and TorontoAs a geschftlicher umgang leader, its easy to confuse company culture with the trendy perks that make a work environment seem attractive from the outside.As a CEO of a growing company, Im just as guilty of this as anyone.Come to ur office and you will seeRoulette wheels lined with wellness and travel rewardsCatered lunches every ThursdayMake no mistake, unterstellung all make the office environment a cool place to work, but these are nothing more than perks. They dont define the company culture. Ultimately, true culture comes down to people.If youre a business leader out there whos looking to make an investment in people to build a meaningful culture, here are some people-first tips to keep in mind.1. Remember Your Surviva l DaysWhen youre starting out in business youre in survival mode, plain and simple. Youre simply doing everything you can to earn respect. This is when the ethos of your companys true culture is born.As your company gets bigger, ask yourself, What did our company do when we were in survival mode? What did we stand for when we first started that made us successful?In our companys case, our survival mode days were all about an underdog journey, a tale of beating odds and being told that we were wrong. A tale of loyalty and giving back.The companies that tend to build culture the right way - and do it for a sustained period of time - are the ones who embrace their roots and make it a core part of their culture as they get bigger.2. Visuals Are KeyThe saying that a picture is worth a thousand words rings especially true when reinforcing company culture. Its one thing for employees to hear about company culture, but its another thing for them to actuallysee it.Every quarter we sit down with our entire company and host a checkpoint. We kick each one of these sessions off with a photo album of cultural events, highlights and bonding moments from the previous quarter, as if we were a family flipping through a photo book and reminiscing over the moments that brought us closer together.Employees hear about the companys culture all the time - in recruiting materials, company handbooks and on your website. Help them see it and feel it.3. Align Business Values With Life ValuesDont be afraid to get a little personal when it comes to creating culture.Perhaps the best way to build genuineness and integrity in your culture is to take what you believe in in your life and apply it to your business.I run our business with the same core values and the same approach that I apply to my life. What matters most to me in life is exactly the same as what our corporate culture represents - its a symbiotic relationship. Be loyal to those who got you there, give back, compete, care, an d experiment.Chances are you have your own set of values that are near and dear to your heart. Embrace those values, and dont be afraid to let them spill over from your life into your business.4. Hold Yourself Accountable for Anti-Cultural BehaviorFace the facts. Youre going to make mistakes that contradict your cultural ethos from time to time.Even the greatest leaders of all-time have displayed flashes that run counter to the culture theyve worked so hard to create. If you think Steve Jobs didnt have moments of anti-Apple behavior youre kidding yourself, and if you think Jeff Bezos hasnt done one or two things over the years that are anti-Amazon in nature, then I have a bridge to sell you. The reality is, all great leaders and culture kingpins make mistakes.The important thing is to hold yourself accountable when you display these moments of behavior that run counter to the culture youre trying to create.Flag your mistakes, embrace them, make your people aware of them, and get bet ter for the future.This level of accountability will earn the respect youre looking for from your team and demonstrate a genuine commitment to your culture.5. Challenge the Culture Control TheoryCritics say that you will downgrade your culture by one degree for every important step of scale that your organization takes.Challenge this theory. Lose sleep over this theory. Refuse to buy into this theory.From first-hand experience, I can say that it will be infinitely more difficult to maintain - and dare I say, improve - your culture as your company gets bigger. Span of control, quality assurance, and separation on the org chart all create challenges that will make it difficult to sustain your culture as your organization grows. However, theres a difference between difficult and impossible.If youre willing to make the investment and sacrifice that comes along with building a thriving and living culture for your company, it can actually improve in direct proportion to the scale of you r organization.Now go forth and build your own people-first cultureAuthor BioMatt Rizzetta is the President and CEO of North 6th Agency, Inc. (N6A), a leading brand communications agency based in New York City.Under Rizzettas leadership, N6A has been ranked as the 1 fastest-growing agency in the United States in its revenue category by ODwyers. N6A has been awarded several prestigious industry recognitions, including New York Observer Power Agency List, Summit International Award, PR News Marketing and PR Leader of the Year, and has been selected as one of the coolest spaces at the hottest PR firms by the New York Observer.