Restoring Success: What is Your WHY?
At the Restoration Technical Institute, “We believe in inspiring happiness, pride, and innovation in others.” You will find this statement at the top of our website, the top of our newsletter, included in our thank you notes and most of our organization’s materials.
Without knowing who we are or what we do, this statement may appeal to you. Would you want to work for a company that believes in inspiring happiness, pride and innovation in others? Would you want to do business in some way with a company that has this belief system?
If you were to do business with Restoration Technical Institute, you would see and feel it in the services and products that the company offers. You will not doubt the people who work here rally, are motivated, and everything that is done and how it is done is based on our belief system. It is why we do what we do. That is powerful!
Even before we put this statement down on paper and articulated it, we knew we had a core purpose and were rallied around something big. There was synchronization and something powerful leading us every day and yet we did not know what exactly it was.
Does this sound a bit over the top? Is it hard to digest such an intangible idea or concept propelling a company in a successful direction? Is this bigger than good attitudes?
Earlier this year, R&R Editor Michelle Blevins sent me a link to a video by a company in this industry that showed a vibrant, healthy company culture. She was impacted by the video, and thought it would make a good future column. At first, I was hesitant to repeat a topic. My first column for R&R back in January of 2014 was on the topic of culture, and called Restoring Success: Core and Shared Values. Then, I watched the video. As I watched, I was smiling, got excited, and a bit of adrenaline started going through my system. I decided that I liked the company because I liked what they believe and their motivation for doing what they do. They spoke to something beyond by black and white analytical side.
I also understood why it had the effect that it did on Michelle and me. The culture of the company depicted in video showed the staff rallying around and acting out a belief system. The video told me WHY the company does what they do. I am a big believer that culture and attitudes within an organization have a direct impact on an organization’s key performance indicators. I also believe if you have nothing else formalized in your organization, core/shared values should be in written form and can prove to be more valuable than a thousand SOP's (Standard Operating Procedures) or a well-developed strategic plan.
Have you ever seen Simon Sinek's "How Great Leaders Inspire Action" TED talk on the Golden Circle? After watching that video, I could not stop thinking about the concept. Why? I gathered the team and explained the simple and yet daunting task. I articulated what we do and then how we do it…but why?
After several days of pondering, we decided: “We believe in inspiring happiness, pride, and innovation in others.”
The video Michelle referenced (not the TED talk, by the way) was a company that told us their “Why” and showed the staff believing and acting out the “why” they do what they do. The appeal was because we believe the same things.
In Simon Sinek’s TED talk about the Golden Circle, he states and proves that, “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.” He talks about doing business and connecting with people who “believe what you believe.” Very few companies can articulate their “why,” which is what most people respond to. He goes on to explain the biological and factual nature and the power of this compelling concept. He uses Apple as an example.
If you can express your why and everyone in the company believes and is motivated by the why, you will see a positive impact on your culture and your customers.
If you have not watched, the Golden Circle, it is worth the 18 minute investment. If you have watched it, but did not take action after watching it, watch it again. Figure out your WHY!
Imagine a potential employee or customer asking you, “Why does your company exists” or “Why do you do what you do?” and you say, “To make money”. Or an advertisement saying: Call 1-800-RESTORATION because we want your money!
Consider:
What: Restore, Dry, Clean, Mitigate
How: Fast, Great Technology, Employee Caring People
WHY?
Take the time and figure out how to articulate and communicate your why? The idea of articulating your why is a powerful concept with a positive impact on many areas of your business including company culture.
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