Nine Cultures That Exist in Corporate America

For all successful companies, it always comes down to the culture. Those that have a positive, future-looking culture are going to succeed. 

Conversely, those sticking their heads in the ground and having a culture of not looking ahead get left behind. And you don’t want to be in a company that gets left behind.

There are nine distinct cultures that exist today in corporate America. Most are good to have in a business organization. However, some are not good at all. 

Culture of “Yes”

A Yes culture is one in which everyone in the company says “yes” to whatever initiative, idea, or proposal comes from the top. Companies with a dominant Yes culture find innovating difficult, if not impossible. 

Directives

Like a Yes culture, companies with a Directives (or Top Down) culture stifle innovation by only considering ideas coming from senior management. It’s an old-school way to run a business.  Only the executives and senior managers know what’s going on.

A company with a culture of directives discourages ideas from other parts of the organization. 

Inclusion

For many successful companies, innovative ideas come from all levels of the organization.

Crazy ideas need to be recognized and rewarded too. 

In fact, input is sought from different levels of the organization. Senior management may generate ideas, but the workers who implement the ideas and deal with customers contribute to the strategy to finalize and sell products. 

Sales Driven

In a sales or market-driven company, the market says, “We need this product.” Consequently, the company develops the product to fill a need expressed by the market.

Technology Driven

The company says in this culture, “We’ll design the product, and then we’ll build it. Next, we’ll find a market for the product.”

Branding

All company segments must be devoted to creating the brand, developing the brand, and maintaining the brand (or improving an existing one). 

Nurturing

Companies with a nurturing culture share the company’s values with everyone.

They also clearly define how employees should collaborate and build close team connections to avoid isolation.

Social Responsibility

A company with a socially responsible culture is mindful of its business’s social and environmental impact. The company seeks to treat its employees and customers fairly. 

Sink-or-Swim

A sink-or-swim culture is one in which the company purposefully provides limited or no support for new hires. In this way, the company identifies those who can succeed in their roles without the company’s help.

What Culture Does Your Company Have?

Some business cultures seem more likely to result in more successful and profitable companies than others. If you got to pick a culture for your company, what would it be?

Jesus (Jes) Vargas is the Principal at DPMG Corp in Sacramento, CA. Jes and his team consult, coach, and mentor business leaders in strategic planning, leadership development, and project management. If you are concerned about the culture in your company, Jes can help you create a new one or improve the one you have. Contact us today!