Culture, Mission, and Strengths: Workshop Recap

Last week I led a full-day workshop for a nonprofit media organization of about 30 people.  What a great day it was!  The company is going through some significant cultural and strategic change, going from a founder-led organization to a more operationally-polished organization.  This is a common challenge as startups (all kinds - non-profits, for-profits, and all industries) move from “home grown” mentality to a more established, fast-growing and strategy-forward organization.  The mission of non-profits is almost always their “north star”, and rightly so.  The attendees of the workshop were passionate, loyal, and dedicated to the mission.  However, as the company grows, a clear operational strategy must accompany that mission.  And, oftentimes, that’s uncomfortable.  I liken it to a chef who has grown his or her career out of a passion for food and cooking, but as the business grows, s/he must manage a business - payroll, customers, marketing, regulations, vendors... and not just about their mission of good food.

I designed the workshop in 2 sections, with a lot of input from my two clients (who were great, by the way - very trusting and open).   The first section was focused around Clifton Strengths Finder:  everyone got their Top 5 results from the assessment, and we dug into some of the themes of the group.  There was a good mix of similarities and unique strengths.  We worked in pairs, in small groups, and as a large group to work through what Strengths are, what they aren’t, how we can “flex our Strengths muscles” and how we can be more aware of others’ Strengths in the workplace.  Applying Strengths to each person’s individual work tasks helped us get focused on the tangible aspects of using Strengths at work.

“Applying Strengths to each person’s individual work tasks helped us get focused on the tangible aspects of using Strengths at work.”

After lunch, we switched gears and worked through some of the discomfort mentioned above - why the company is changing, how its changing, and more.  One of the better exercises we did was work through what the words like Mission, Vision, Values, Strategy, and Goals are - what they actually mean.  These words can be incredibly confusing and are so often the source of employee confusion, anxiety, and misdirection.  Leaders of organizational commonly have these all worked out in the boardroom, usually with “fluffy” marketing language, but fail to properly communicate what these words mean.  

We talked about how Strategy directly influences company culture, but ultimately its everyone at the company - leaders and employees alike - who truly dictate and sustain the company culture.  How do we show up every day?  How do we live the company values?  Are we doing activities that are honoring our strategy and mission?  These are tough questions!!  An organizational development consultant is a great choice for helping your company navigate and communicate these tough questions.  Setting your company up for success is one of the greatest challenges (and joys!) a leader undertakes. Workshops are a great tool to help drive home your messaging to employees in an open, safe, and transparent space.

Interested in a workshop at your organization? Schedule a free consult with me, and we’ll talk through what you have in mind!

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