An organization can live or die by its corporate culture—the hard-to-measure beliefs, behaviors, values, expectations, structures and other characteristics that make it unique. Companies spend enormous amounts of time, energy and money working to sustain good cultures or change those which no longer work for current business conditions. Modifying corporate culture is a difficult, long-term job—one that requires strong leadership, management discipline and modeling, attention to subtle aspects of people’s behavior and interaction, and consistency in communication.

 

Maintaining a successful corporate culture is, of course, easier than changing a poor one, but the chances of success of either effort can be enhanced with the right blend of vision, leadership and communication. Stories, myths, symbols, language and rituals are all essential parts of culture and are important tools in perpetuating or changing culture, as they convey desired values, lessons and expectations to people in emotional as well as intellectual terms.

There is no more powerful communication tool in a corporate culture initiative than a company history book or family business history book. With a compelling storyline and striking imagery, a book uses carefully chosen language and imagery to illuminate the vision and values of a founder, to convey desired cultural attributes through the stories of how people have behaved over time and with what result, and to set expectations of future performance and behavior.

 

Can a book change or maintain a corporate culture on its own? Of course not. However, employed at the right time and in the right way, it can make a meaningful difference in the success or failure of a move to align people with a company’s vision, mission, strategy, values and desired behaviors. A book is also an especially potent tool in the blending of cultures following a merger or acquisition. Contact us today to discuss what a book from Essex Publishing Group can do for your company or organization.