“For individuals, character is destiny. For organizations, culture is destiny”, writes the late Tony Hsieh in his book, Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose (Business Plus, 2010). As he continues, “Over time, as we focused more and more on our culture, we ultimately came to the realization that a company’s culture and a company’s brand are really two sides of the same coin. The brand is just a lagging indicator of a company’s culture.”
We don’t read or write much about character and destiny these days. It seems like these terms are from long ago. Nevertheless, they still matter and they are still important.
When we choose to hire someone for a position, we always want to know more about their character, not just their skill sets. Who they are is more important that what they can do. The necessary skills for a position will change over time but character transcends all.
The same goes with organizational culture, which is nothing more than the sum of agreed to behavioral norms. When a healthy culture is the constant through organizational change, people make appropriate choices and rise to their individual and collective challenges.
So, my two, big questions to you this week are direct and simple:
- What are you doing to improve your character?
- What are you doing to improve your organization’s culture?
Your destiny reflects your choices. Choose wisely.
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