One definition for an
ecosystem, according to dictionary.com, is any system or network of
interconnecting and interacting parts, as in a business. If you think of your
business as an ecosystem, it compels you to make certain observations about
your company and the impact of all of its parts. While different businesses are
comprised of different parts, all have some components in common, most notably,
culture.
The difference between a
healthy and unhealthy ecosystem is surprisingly very little. Ecosystems are
dynamic entities, constantly in the process of recovering from a past
disturbance or bracing for an impending one. When you consider your team
culture as its own ecosystem, it becomes rather easy to understand that it is
perpetually changing and evolving. That also makes its overall health somewhat
vulnerable. Simply acknowledging that culture is never static, but dynamic,
will serve as a reminder of how to ensure it is trending in the right
direction. Here are three ways to make sure:
1. Understand the power
of the ripple effect.
The dynamic
ecosystem/culture is subject to a never-ending deluge of new elements. Every
time you sign a new client, hire a new teammate, promote someone or implement
change of any sort, your culture changes, for better or worse. Not only does
this impact your business today, it also has a ripple effect for the future.
Considering your business as an ecosystem with interconnecting parts -- each
part reacting to the energy of another -- nothing happens in your organization
in a silo. One small ripple on one end can turn into a wave on the opposite
end.
Understanding this
emphasizes the need to be strategically oriented in how your decision-making
process affects culture. You also should consider that at this present moment
your organization is experiencing the "ripples" of previous decisions
-- including mistakes. Of these past missteps, some may continue to affect your
culture in an adverse fashion. As such, determine what you need to address
today that is a byproduct of past mistakes. In some cases, the solution is to
add to your "stop doing list," and in other cases, it's to publicly
address a solution to an earlier transgression. Either action can help reverse
prior negative culture ripples.
2. Use the ripple effect
to your advantage.
The ripple effect is
powerful. But when you first start to realize this, it also can be intimidating
and daunting. It's easy to over analyze your mistakes and get fixated on them.
Undoubtedly your organization has also made its fair share of great past
decisions where the resulting positive ripples were significant. A powerful
exercise to conduct is to list the positive ripples that have created strong
wins for your team's culture. By modeling past, culture-strengthening success,
you can replicate them in other areas to create intentional and more
significant surges in your ecosystem.
3. Understand consistent
attention and focus.
The strongest person in
the gym or the fastest runner on the track will not remain so for long if they
stop training. Likewise, a company that considers its culture strong today
should not assume that it would always remain so without constant work.
The strongest
cultures/ecosystems are those that are constantly being strengthened. If you
recall that your culture is always moving, you want to do everything you can to
ensure the direction is headed on a positive track. Often times this direction
can be achieved not by radically altering the message, but by more consistently
reinforcing it. Powerful cultures are built brick by brick, beginning with a
strong foundation. In fact, it's critical to emphasize culture in the
employment interview and to thoroughly cover it in the on-boarding process.
Consistent reminders of your culture likewise are demonstrated by who gets
retained, promoted or even fired. This kind of consistency breeds a type of
familiarity that will create continuous positive ripples.
Thinking of your business
as an ecosystem means you are vigilant against threats to your culture while
simultaneously looking for ways to strengthen it. Keeping an ever-watchful eye
on the prize, coupled with an understanding of how ripples build waves, will
ensure you stay on the right track.
Written by:
Marty Fukuda
Credit:
Entrepreneur.com
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