What's Your Identity?

October 4, 2011 David Russell

I was walking with Tom Brindley the other day and he gave me some insights that I would like to share with you. This is just a snapshot. Email me if this strikes you and you want me to explore it a bit deeper.

Consider the core identity of your company.

We require our employees to demonstrate certain behaviors and achieve specific goals, but these are results. They are not who the person is (their identity), or the core identity of your company.

Behaviors and goal achievement follow identity.

Employees are instructed to be "good," and there are many definitions of what "good" is, whereas really we want them to become new. By "new" I mean we encourage them to become someone who represents our organization in a manner consistent with our four company culture cornerstones: Mission, values, vision, and standards of accountability.

The identity of your company is the bedrock beneath your four company culture cornerstones.

It takes time, training, mentoring, and encouragement for new employees to grow into the fullness of their new professional identity, because even the best people you hire need to develop.

But most leaders do not train, mentor, and encourage employees because they feel there is no time to make these interactions a priority.

Why not? Because they would rather do other things with their time.

This creates an opportunity for you to outgrow your competition.

Do you really want to be the best? Then focus on your people. It takes time away from other "stuff," but great leaders find the time to hire people whose identity matches their company's. Then they constantly engage their people in activities to develop their capabilities.

Be an Intentional, Systematic, Servant Leader.

David Russell, CEO

Success With People, Inc.
MANAGEtoWIN, Inc.

MEETING IDEAS

This is a tough one for meeting ideas because we are just starting to discuss something of tremendous importance, but let us give it a try anyway.

1. What is the core identity of your company? Your mission is why you are in business. Your values are how you do business. Your vision is where you are going as a business. Your company's identity is the bedrock beneath this foundation.

You cannot have enough rules, values, policies, and procedures to cover every situation. So at some point the decisions your people make are based on how they define the identity of your organization. What is it?

2. What is your personal/professional identity?

3. How does your identity align with and differ from your company's identity?

4. Basic truth: A tree bears fruit in accordance with its identity. Similarly, people's behaviors are consistent with their identity. Consider one of your company's top performers and one who left the organization because they did not work out. Avoiding gossip and do not divulge confidential information, but discuss why these people are and were not a fit in your organization due to how well their identity matches your company's.

If you need help, contact me.