Culture is a hot topic—from Fast Company and Huffington Post to the Seattle Times—the headline of the day is that culture can help you win the war for talent that is by most analysis the biggest differentiator between the companies that almost make it, and those that do.

In spite of all this press and focus, there isn’t a lot of agreement about what a great culture in a technology company should be or how to get it.  Some think it is the ability to extend the start-up culture – ping-pong and beer breaks – as you grow. Others feel that it resides in the heart and soul of a charismatic leader who can inspire employees to extraordinary efforts in search of the breakthrough moment.

At New Legends, we describe culture simply as “the way we do things around here.”   It is the combination of history, myths, and past interactions that combine to create the assumptions and beliefs that guide people’s behaviors, choices, and commitment.  People often have a hard time describing culture—but they can tell you if they like the culture of their company.

So, should you be paying attention to creating an intentional culture – a culture by design?  We think it depends on your answers to a few key questions.

How important is it that your employees—

• understand your vision and how their work and priorities contribute to the success of that vision?
• can work effectively together, reaching agreements on critical issues, and use the core values to help guide behavior and decision-making consistently throughout the organization?
• have the skills and abilities to contribute to the company’s success?
• are able to understand and can respond to customer needs, are able to learn from failures and successes and share those learnings with others, and are able to proactively improve the way they work?

We’re guessing that you know that these things are very, very important to your organization’s success. For technology companies, where attracting and keeping the best talent is critical to creating the strategic advantage you’re seeking, these core characteristics of a strong culture are even more important.  The more your employees can experience a clear and powerful culture, the more they can share it.

The great news is that culture can be understood and improved. The first step is to know where you are.  While we use a powerful survey tool to establish a strong baseline for culture that reveals strengths and areas for improvement, there is much to be learned by listening to what employees are saying in the break rooms and hallways.  The culture lives in the conversation. The real quotes from real employees below:

 

Culture is knowable.  And with some intention and commitment, you can move a culture that is less than optimal to where you need it to be in order to get the talent you need to achieve breakthrough results.