This question has interested me since my first real job, as a marketing manager in the 90s where we had a department on the Danish island, Funen – and they were not like us. Instead of focusing on all the differences, I am sure we could have learned a lot from them!
Since then, I have worked with both small and large companies – and they have always been divided into us-and-them. Especially the global companies where the head office was located in Denmark.
Once in the US, HR had just come by with the latest rules for code of conduct. The employees' reaction was: "People at our HQ in Denmark have NO idea what it means to do business in the US!"
In another company, I called up the marketing director in Australia ahead of a big campaign. He replied:
"Are you calling from Denmark to find out what WE need? There’s surely a first time for everything. They never seemed to care about us!!".
It's not the geographical spread that divides us into 'us-and-them'. I have countless times heard salespeople say that Marketing has no idea about what it's like out in the field among customers. Likewise, Production is tired of sellers promising “gold and green forests”.
So, what does it take to bring the whole company together?
My first thought is: A shared vision. A strong vision that is almost on a par with the best corporate religions. A higher goal that makes us forget the differences – and instead focus on inclusion of all our colleagues, and what we strive to achieve, together. And it is feasible, because I have helped develop and formulate great visions for several companies.
The problem is that strong corporate religions often tend to have a more marked division into a self-aggrandizing us-and-them. We are better than the others. Survival of the fittest.
My next thought is therefore to ask the employees, customers, suppliers, and everyone else who interacts with the company about what really binds us together. What IS our common denominator?
This, I have also tried several times, yet never as convincing as when several companies merged into ENAVATE back in 2015. The result was a big and resounding “WE are… and "WE aim at...". There was no us-and-them. There was a shared journey with employees, customers, and the whole world actually.
Consequently, when we presented the final brand to all employees (called Team Members), we were met with lots of hugs. The same thing happened later when we met customers and partners. Warm hugs. And they still hug. The COVID-19 restrictions only tied them closer together, digitally.
As it said on one of the slides in the brand presentation:
It's not our name, logo, and payoff that builds the perception of our brand - it's the way we act in our everyday work life.
Accompanied by a smart fold-out poster to all employees emphasizing how WE behave:
The war in Ukraine, where they have 200 employees, has proven the value of this close community. As the first Russian troops crossed the border, the company's leadership had a strong plan in place to support and help the employees in Ukraine. Some members of the management team even went to the boarder of Ukraine to help and make sure to evacuate all employees and their families.
And it didn't stop there.
The leadership also took the initiative to bring together all competitors in one strong community with a clear purpose to provide maximum support to all employees and their families in the Microsoft Dynamics community in Ukraine.
Why? Partly because in 2015 we asked the employees in Ukraine what their biggest challenge was – and they answered all as one:
"Every morning we look out the windows to see if there are Russian tanks in the streets."
At the time, the leadership promised to be there if that were to happen. The leadership kept their word. We are ENAVATE was a promise that still binds them together.
Support the MS Dynamics Community in the Ukraine: https://www.dynamicsukraine.org/
So, how do you create a common culture in the company – without 'us & them'?
Well, we would always argue that is wise to ask your employees/ team members what they find important. If you think it sounds complicated, think again. It could easily be part of your everyday culture to involve your most important stakeholders in greater challenges and uncover so far unseen perspectives of your cohesion. Just like ENAVATE.
If you would like to hear more about how you can involve all your stakeholders in one overall journey towards your most important goals, you are always more than welcome to contact us at The Heart for a free consultation.
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