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Culture Wins: The Roadmap to an Irresistible Workplace
The roadmap to making your company a great place to work in today’s job-hopping culture starts right here .
What could your company accomplish if it could attract and retain employees who buy into your organization’s mission 100%?
Culture Wins is a practical yet challenging modern guidebook for organizations that want to own the future. Its firsthand insights into building a contagious culture will drive sustainable growth and innovation for any organization. You will build a healthy workplace, increase revenue, and change the world with the lessons you’ll learn. Stop losing employees, grow your team, and build a contagious company culture that outlasts the competition.
There are books on general team building, there are books on workplace best practices, and there are books on leadership—but there is not a book that shows forward-thinking leaders how to integrate it into today’s new job-hopping culture. William Vanderbloemen uses his company’s proven experience in staffing and organizational consulting to provide a global perspective of effective, thriving cultures—and how to create them.
What could your company accomplish if it could attract and retain employees who buy into your organization’s mission 100%?
Culture Wins is a practical yet challenging modern guidebook for organizations that want to own the future. Its firsthand insights into building a contagious culture will drive sustainable growth and innovation for any organization. You will build a healthy workplace, increase revenue, and change the world with the lessons you’ll learn. Stop losing employees, grow your team, and build a contagious company culture that outlasts the competition.
There are books on general team building, there are books on workplace best practices, and there are books on leadership—but there is not a book that shows forward-thinking leaders how to integrate it into today’s new job-hopping culture. William Vanderbloemen uses his company’s proven experience in staffing and organizational consulting to provide a global perspective of effective, thriving cultures—and how to create them.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published March 20, 2018
65 people are currently reading
434 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
April 15, 2023
عن كيف ثقافة العمل تؤثر على الموظفين والإنتاجية بشكل عام، ممتع.
November 6, 2021
Not as good as "Culture Code" but still a good book on organizational culture where all is centered around the statement "Culture eats strategy for breakfast". The author William Vandrboemen is from a very specific industry (Vanderbloemen Search Group, an executive search firm serving churches, ministries and faith-based organizations) and thus it was a bit challenging to relate to it but fortunately this did not distract the overall discussions and ideas on what makes and breaks a good organizational culture. Important considerations of hiring, onboarding, daily operation, culture intervention (sometimes pushing situation towards chaos is needed temporarily), employee compensation management are discussed. I did like few examples where author encourages to look for cultural issues as root cause when not reaching goals or lacking in performance.
"Hire slow, fire fast" The 4 C's for hiring:
*Character
*Competency
*Chemistry
*Culture
"You know there are problems with organizational culture when you hear the phrase "it's not my job" too often."
“When everyone at the office looks the same and acts the same way, and everyone orders the same thing off the same menu, that’s not culture.”
"Culture trumps your business idea. Culture trumps your strategic plan. Culture even trumps the competency of your team. Discovering your culture is necessary because culture wins. It wins every time. If you had a bad culture, it will win – and ruin your company. And if you have a great culture, It will also win and enable you to do great things. Strategy is great. Having talented people is a must. But the real team wins come when culture is working."
"A culture is a way of life of a group of people – the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them and that are passed along by communication and imitation from one generation two the next."
"Knowing what you and your company stand for, and creating a culture that reflects what you stand for, is essential to attracting that workforce."
"You have three options for making a radical shift in the culture. First, you can shift people around in their roles. The second option is to examine the culture of people at the top, and if there's a problem, let them know they have to make a change. The third and most radical option to fire someone - likely someone at or near the top of the organization."
"Once you've documented your values, you have to live them. You have to find ways to start living out the culture you've defined in every phase of the organization."
"Every company I've studied that has a great culture has a leader living that culture who's totally committed to it. The more the leader lives out the culture, the more employees will follow suit. It's up to the leader of an organization to set the tone for the rest of the company."
"Hiring people of good character goes without saying, and people won't likely even get a first interview if I have questions about their character. In most cases, competencies are nice to have, but, for many jobs, they can be learned on the job. More than anything, I worry about what the added person will do to the culture."
"If people aren't driven by your cause, they're not going to fit the culture."
"When people in your company stop referring to the organization or its leadership in the first person, as "we" and start referring to it in the third person, as "they," there's a problem."
"Hire slow, fire fast" The 4 C's for hiring:
*Character
*Competency
*Chemistry
*Culture
"You know there are problems with organizational culture when you hear the phrase "it's not my job" too often."
“When everyone at the office looks the same and acts the same way, and everyone orders the same thing off the same menu, that’s not culture.”
"Culture trumps your business idea. Culture trumps your strategic plan. Culture even trumps the competency of your team. Discovering your culture is necessary because culture wins. It wins every time. If you had a bad culture, it will win – and ruin your company. And if you have a great culture, It will also win and enable you to do great things. Strategy is great. Having talented people is a must. But the real team wins come when culture is working."
"A culture is a way of life of a group of people – the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them and that are passed along by communication and imitation from one generation two the next."
"Knowing what you and your company stand for, and creating a culture that reflects what you stand for, is essential to attracting that workforce."
"You have three options for making a radical shift in the culture. First, you can shift people around in their roles. The second option is to examine the culture of people at the top, and if there's a problem, let them know they have to make a change. The third and most radical option to fire someone - likely someone at or near the top of the organization."
"Once you've documented your values, you have to live them. You have to find ways to start living out the culture you've defined in every phase of the organization."
"Every company I've studied that has a great culture has a leader living that culture who's totally committed to it. The more the leader lives out the culture, the more employees will follow suit. It's up to the leader of an organization to set the tone for the rest of the company."
"Hiring people of good character goes without saying, and people won't likely even get a first interview if I have questions about their character. In most cases, competencies are nice to have, but, for many jobs, they can be learned on the job. More than anything, I worry about what the added person will do to the culture."
"If people aren't driven by your cause, they're not going to fit the culture."
"When people in your company stop referring to the organization or its leadership in the first person, as "we" and start referring to it in the third person, as "they," there's a problem."
May 23, 2021
Was not a fan. This author is focused more on creating homogeneous and rigid cultures that are exclusionary, not thoughtful about the changing nature of the workforce. I agree with a couple points, but those are things better learned from other books. Also, just so we are all clear, you don't treat others like YOU like to be treated, you treat others like THEY want to be treated. He says things about relationships, but felt really restrictive and transactional.
Also, the concept of creating a "framily" at work perpetuates the idea that our work is what we should love as much as, or more than our lives outside of work. I think it's important to love what you do, but I worry about how we are expecting people to have their personal value directly from their work. Slippy and unhealthy slope.
Also, the concept of creating a "framily" at work perpetuates the idea that our work is what we should love as much as, or more than our lives outside of work. I think it's important to love what you do, but I worry about how we are expecting people to have their personal value directly from their work. Slippy and unhealthy slope.
February 21, 2019
I really hate to write this, but I just don't think the book is worth the time to read. I started skimming it by the time I was halfway through and that's just because I hate to start a book and not finish.
The author runs a good company, but doesn't seem to have a clear purpose for the book. It is one part "here's why my company is good," one part "here are some stories I'd like to tell," and just a dash of "here's help for your company's culture."
The best written chapter was the one on firing people. So if one is in a position to fire people and needs help, then read that chapter. Otherwise, skip it.
The author runs a good company, but doesn't seem to have a clear purpose for the book. It is one part "here's why my company is good," one part "here are some stories I'd like to tell," and just a dash of "here's help for your company's culture."
The best written chapter was the one on firing people. So if one is in a position to fire people and needs help, then read that chapter. Otherwise, skip it.
October 18, 2023
'Culture Wins' offers valuable insights into creating a standout workplace culture, drawing from Vanderbloemen's pastoral experience. While the book has its merits, it assumes a one-size-fits-all approach that may not be practical for small companies in less populated areas. The emphasis on a lengthy hiring process is a luxury that mission-focused organizations in big cities can afford but may be unfeasible for smaller setups with budget constraints. A helpful read, but not universally applicable.
February 5, 2022
A truly impactful read covering a small team that won multiple culture awards several years in a row, teaching culture principles and practices across organizations small and large.
November 5, 2019
This book has a simple but strong premise: what makes or breaks a good workplace is its culture. For Vanderbloemen, "culture is a way of life of a group of people – the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them and that are passed along by communication and imitation from one generation two the next." In light of this definition, he views culture as the most important workplace factor, prior to competency and even character. The thing about culture, he says, is that it's not a 12-step program. There is no systematic way to "create" culture. For his own company which won several national awards for best company culture, he says creating culture was an accident. Thus, this book is his attempt to retrace the steps he took to create such an inspiring workplace culture.
There are several key takeaways from this book. First, no company culture is going to be the same. Everyone has their "own kind of crazy", and companies need to be clear to those they hire about who they are and how they function. Likewise, potential hires need to be aware of the culture they're getting themselves into before they accept the job. For example, if a company values "Ridiculous Responsiveness" so much so that it interrupts an employee's personal hours at home, and that employee is not on board with that aspect of the culture, he or she must consider if it is the right workplace.
With this in mind, he says, it's important for companies to hire slowly. He quotes Dave Ramsey, who told him: "William, even a donkey can look like a thoroughbred for two interviews." People put on their best face at first, and it won't be clear to either party whether a potential hire will be a good fit until there has been a decent amount of exposure to the company culture. He recommends conducting 10-15 interviews before bringing someone on board. The goal is to separate the wheat from the chaff by trying to convince them your company is so "crazy" that you wouldn't want to join. His hope is that new hires will not be surprised by a certain aspect of the company after they come on board. As he puts it: "I don't want you to walk down the aisle with Rachel and wake up next to Leah."
Within the company, culture has to be cultivated and maintained at the root level. He advocates dedicating a least part of an employee's job to being the "Cultural Whip", tasked with promoting the culture through articles, events and policies spread at the bottom level, not just from the top. On the other hand, he believes it is essential for CEOs and managers (those at the top) to embody culture. If the leader doesn't embody the values he or she wants the company to stand for, it is impossible for the employees to reflect that as well.
I liked some of his practical ideas in the book. For example, he recommends carefully designing the workspace around your employees needs and personalities. He recommends creating open, shared spaces with isolated areas (e.g. "phone booths") where those that need privacy can get away briefly. The goal is to foster communication, teamwork and camaraderie while avoiding workplace "silos".
He brings up that one sign of a bad culture is when people frequently are caught saying: "That's not my job." We want people to take ownership of the company because they love it and they love the people. They're friends. They're family. They're what he calls "framily" (his overuse of this term almost drove me mad). People have bought into the culture and they live it out themselves. What makes a culture self-perpetuating is when everyone, not just the leaders or Culture Whip, self-regulate the culture by teaching new people "how things are done around here".
Another interesting point is on the different advantages of hiring/promoting from within versus bringing in outside talent. Hiring from within can ensure that people already know the culture, but it may also foster uniformity and complacency. Hiring from outside adds freshness to and expands the culture. This may be prove to an advantageous way of broadening a company's (or church's) target demographic, promoting creativity and/or expanding the knowledge-base.
Overall, I found this book to be helpful, relevant and interesting. I appreciate his understand of generational workplace trends, particularly how many young people are delaying starting families and getting married. This explains why many of them need a "culture" and a "framily" since they are not actively creating one themselves until later in life. I'm not sure that's ideal, but he does address that at times, people's life goals change which affect how they fit into the culture. It may be that some individuals simply can't adhere to the culture any longer once they enter a new season of life. I appreciate that he makes the firing process in such situations (like in situations of maladaptation to culture) less about the individual and more about the "crazy" company culture.
I would recommend this book to business leaders and employees alike. I am a bit more hesitant to recommend it to churches. I'm not fully sure why just yet, I just get the feeling that some of what he says doesn't or shouldn't apply in the church. Perhaps at the staff level, but not in the church at large. As a counter-cultural and cross-cultural religion, Christianity often looks different in every environment, yet simultaneously it must conform to the teachings of the Bible as much as possible. Whether or not what he teaches in this book fits with the church I'm still uncertain.
There are several key takeaways from this book. First, no company culture is going to be the same. Everyone has their "own kind of crazy", and companies need to be clear to those they hire about who they are and how they function. Likewise, potential hires need to be aware of the culture they're getting themselves into before they accept the job. For example, if a company values "Ridiculous Responsiveness" so much so that it interrupts an employee's personal hours at home, and that employee is not on board with that aspect of the culture, he or she must consider if it is the right workplace.
With this in mind, he says, it's important for companies to hire slowly. He quotes Dave Ramsey, who told him: "William, even a donkey can look like a thoroughbred for two interviews." People put on their best face at first, and it won't be clear to either party whether a potential hire will be a good fit until there has been a decent amount of exposure to the company culture. He recommends conducting 10-15 interviews before bringing someone on board. The goal is to separate the wheat from the chaff by trying to convince them your company is so "crazy" that you wouldn't want to join. His hope is that new hires will not be surprised by a certain aspect of the company after they come on board. As he puts it: "I don't want you to walk down the aisle with Rachel and wake up next to Leah."
Within the company, culture has to be cultivated and maintained at the root level. He advocates dedicating a least part of an employee's job to being the "Cultural Whip", tasked with promoting the culture through articles, events and policies spread at the bottom level, not just from the top. On the other hand, he believes it is essential for CEOs and managers (those at the top) to embody culture. If the leader doesn't embody the values he or she wants the company to stand for, it is impossible for the employees to reflect that as well.
I liked some of his practical ideas in the book. For example, he recommends carefully designing the workspace around your employees needs and personalities. He recommends creating open, shared spaces with isolated areas (e.g. "phone booths") where those that need privacy can get away briefly. The goal is to foster communication, teamwork and camaraderie while avoiding workplace "silos".
He brings up that one sign of a bad culture is when people frequently are caught saying: "That's not my job." We want people to take ownership of the company because they love it and they love the people. They're friends. They're family. They're what he calls "framily" (his overuse of this term almost drove me mad). People have bought into the culture and they live it out themselves. What makes a culture self-perpetuating is when everyone, not just the leaders or Culture Whip, self-regulate the culture by teaching new people "how things are done around here".
Another interesting point is on the different advantages of hiring/promoting from within versus bringing in outside talent. Hiring from within can ensure that people already know the culture, but it may also foster uniformity and complacency. Hiring from outside adds freshness to and expands the culture. This may be prove to an advantageous way of broadening a company's (or church's) target demographic, promoting creativity and/or expanding the knowledge-base.
Overall, I found this book to be helpful, relevant and interesting. I appreciate his understand of generational workplace trends, particularly how many young people are delaying starting families and getting married. This explains why many of them need a "culture" and a "framily" since they are not actively creating one themselves until later in life. I'm not sure that's ideal, but he does address that at times, people's life goals change which affect how they fit into the culture. It may be that some individuals simply can't adhere to the culture any longer once they enter a new season of life. I appreciate that he makes the firing process in such situations (like in situations of maladaptation to culture) less about the individual and more about the "crazy" company culture.
I would recommend this book to business leaders and employees alike. I am a bit more hesitant to recommend it to churches. I'm not fully sure why just yet, I just get the feeling that some of what he says doesn't or shouldn't apply in the church. Perhaps at the staff level, but not in the church at large. As a counter-cultural and cross-cultural religion, Christianity often looks different in every environment, yet simultaneously it must conform to the teachings of the Bible as much as possible. Whether or not what he teaches in this book fits with the church I'm still uncertain.
February 1, 2022
I still don’t know how to say this guy's name. What I do know is his company Vanderbloemen Search Group was named the “Top Company Culture” 2015 & "Top 25 Small Giant" by Forbes in 2018. I know his name from podcasts with Lifeway Christian Resources which may feel a little like slumming it for a company named the “Best Office Space to work in, in Houston.” He chalks this up to knowing what “his kind of crazy is”.
“Culture wins & it wins with everyone.” What is culture? According to Vanderbloemen “A culture is a way of life of a group of people—the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them, and that are passed along by communication and imitation from one generation to the next…Culture trumps your business idea. Culture trumps your strategic plan. Culture even trumps the competency of your team.”
Indeed when it comes to the priority of investment the author pulls no punches: “We found that if people are a good cultural fit, we can teach them the competencies. On the other hand people who come in with all the skills to do a job won’t necessarily be a good fit with the culture of the company.” We’ve all experienced this, we’ve just never said it this bluntly.
This is an indispensably quotable book, and as a leader myself, a must-have on your bookshelf. Anyone who has ever built anything with people: an organization, a team, a classroom or working group understands there is an undercurrent to how those people interact. Most people experience it without putting words to it; some big companies put the words on the wall. Whether they live by them or not is another matter.
The chapters are incredibly practical from creating space to fixing culture leaks, to building camaraderie and protecting the culture at all costs including firing fast & hiring slow.
Vanderbloemen is honest, admitting that creating culture costs money on the front end, but ultimately saves in people, replacement and productivity. Like anything else, where you spend your time & money are your real values; not what you say they are.
Vanderbloemen repeats himself in a way that you pass over as oversight. Which of course by the end leaves you with a clear and unambiguous picture of his team's culture and how it drives everything. When the leader is sick of saying it, most people are just starting to understand it.
“Culture is about how a team uniquely functions when it’s at its best. It’s about how you function as a team when you’re working well. It’s about knowing the habits, customs, and mannerisms that are common to your team but uncommon to other teams. And ultimately, building an effective culture means knowing, memorializing, and embedding them as cultural values the team is expected to live by.”
How important is culture? If he’s right then organizations without it will die out as the new generation comes up. Vanderbloemen foretells: “My prediction is that building culture into companies is going to become more & more important in the coming years. As the millennial generation: a generation that’s waiting longer to get married and start a family, made up of young people who change jobs more often than their predecessors continue to enter the workplace, they’re looking for more than a job, they’re looking for a Framily.”
If you want to build culture, evaluate culture, or just need some inspiration from a guy who has done it well, you NEED this book. Every. Single. Leader. If people work for you, or you work with people; don’t be naive, you have a culture, make sure it’s a good, healthy one. What you do have is the exact result you’ve built, tolerate, and celebrate.
5 out of 5. Highly recommend!
“Once hired, new employees give invaluable feedback. Don’t miss the first ninety days of an employee’s time with your organization to receive helpful input that can only come from their fresh perspective.”
“Every time I see an employee who causes a cultural problem in a company, I can usually draw a straight line back to a hiring problem. Cultural misfits don’t just happen.”
“Chemistry is seasonal. That is to say cultural fit is also seasonal. There can be shifts that cause new wrinkles.”
“Commit to figuring out what kind of crazy your company is & what kind of crazy your people are and then drive that kind of crazy throughout every part of your organization. If you commit to doing that then you’re making a commitment to a successful future. Your culture has already happened.”
“The most expensive hire you’ll ever make is hiring the wrong person. If you don’t assess people’s ability to fit your culture it doesn't matter how wonderful their resumes look or how competent they are, sooner or later they will become cancerous to your team….You want candidates who will be in a place where they are celebrated, not just tolerated.”
“Culture wins & it wins with everyone.” What is culture? According to Vanderbloemen “A culture is a way of life of a group of people—the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them, and that are passed along by communication and imitation from one generation to the next…Culture trumps your business idea. Culture trumps your strategic plan. Culture even trumps the competency of your team.”
Indeed when it comes to the priority of investment the author pulls no punches: “We found that if people are a good cultural fit, we can teach them the competencies. On the other hand people who come in with all the skills to do a job won’t necessarily be a good fit with the culture of the company.” We’ve all experienced this, we’ve just never said it this bluntly.
This is an indispensably quotable book, and as a leader myself, a must-have on your bookshelf. Anyone who has ever built anything with people: an organization, a team, a classroom or working group understands there is an undercurrent to how those people interact. Most people experience it without putting words to it; some big companies put the words on the wall. Whether they live by them or not is another matter.
The chapters are incredibly practical from creating space to fixing culture leaks, to building camaraderie and protecting the culture at all costs including firing fast & hiring slow.
Vanderbloemen is honest, admitting that creating culture costs money on the front end, but ultimately saves in people, replacement and productivity. Like anything else, where you spend your time & money are your real values; not what you say they are.
Vanderbloemen repeats himself in a way that you pass over as oversight. Which of course by the end leaves you with a clear and unambiguous picture of his team's culture and how it drives everything. When the leader is sick of saying it, most people are just starting to understand it.
“Culture is about how a team uniquely functions when it’s at its best. It’s about how you function as a team when you’re working well. It’s about knowing the habits, customs, and mannerisms that are common to your team but uncommon to other teams. And ultimately, building an effective culture means knowing, memorializing, and embedding them as cultural values the team is expected to live by.”
How important is culture? If he’s right then organizations without it will die out as the new generation comes up. Vanderbloemen foretells: “My prediction is that building culture into companies is going to become more & more important in the coming years. As the millennial generation: a generation that’s waiting longer to get married and start a family, made up of young people who change jobs more often than their predecessors continue to enter the workplace, they’re looking for more than a job, they’re looking for a Framily.”
If you want to build culture, evaluate culture, or just need some inspiration from a guy who has done it well, you NEED this book. Every. Single. Leader. If people work for you, or you work with people; don’t be naive, you have a culture, make sure it’s a good, healthy one. What you do have is the exact result you’ve built, tolerate, and celebrate.
5 out of 5. Highly recommend!
“Once hired, new employees give invaluable feedback. Don’t miss the first ninety days of an employee’s time with your organization to receive helpful input that can only come from their fresh perspective.”
“Every time I see an employee who causes a cultural problem in a company, I can usually draw a straight line back to a hiring problem. Cultural misfits don’t just happen.”
“Chemistry is seasonal. That is to say cultural fit is also seasonal. There can be shifts that cause new wrinkles.”
“Commit to figuring out what kind of crazy your company is & what kind of crazy your people are and then drive that kind of crazy throughout every part of your organization. If you commit to doing that then you’re making a commitment to a successful future. Your culture has already happened.”
“The most expensive hire you’ll ever make is hiring the wrong person. If you don’t assess people’s ability to fit your culture it doesn't matter how wonderful their resumes look or how competent they are, sooner or later they will become cancerous to your team….You want candidates who will be in a place where they are celebrated, not just tolerated.”
November 20, 2023
Topic: Culture, Work-Life
Amazon Rating: 4.5
goodreads Rating: 3.7/5
Nick’s Rating: 4.0/5
Who should (or when to) read this: People trying to create or improve organization culture, especially in the start-up phase.
Nick’s Major takeaway(s): Culture will outlive everyone and is more important than any one person. To truly have a great workplace culture you need to be dedicated to it, have a budget for it and live it all the time. Do these things and the ROI will be many times over the investment cost.
Notable Quotes: “When everyone at the office looks the same and acts the same way, and everyone orders the same thing off the same menu, that’s not culture.” – William Vanderbloemen
“Culture is changing and will continue to change, but you can’t sit back and wait for the waves to settle. The tsunami’s coming, whether you prepare for it or not, and it’s time to get your feet wet.”
"Culture trumps your business idea. Culture trumps your strategic plan. Culture even trumps the competency of your team. Discovering your culture is necessary because culture wins. It wins every time. If you had a bad culture, it will win – and ruin your company. And if you have a great culture, It will also win and enable you to do great things. Strategy is great. Having talented people is a must. But the real team wins come when culture is working."
"Every company I've studied that has a great culture has a leader living that culture who's totally committed to it. The more the leader lives out the culture, the more employees will follow suit. It's up to the leader of an organization to set the tone for the rest of the company."
"When people in your company stop referring to the organization or its leadership in the first person, as "we" and start referring to it in the third person, as "they," there's a problem."
If you are interested in more suggestions about personal development, growth and leadership; follow me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthshe... to see content on “level up literature” #lul
Amazon Rating: 4.5
goodreads Rating: 3.7/5
Nick’s Rating: 4.0/5
Who should (or when to) read this: People trying to create or improve organization culture, especially in the start-up phase.
Nick’s Major takeaway(s): Culture will outlive everyone and is more important than any one person. To truly have a great workplace culture you need to be dedicated to it, have a budget for it and live it all the time. Do these things and the ROI will be many times over the investment cost.
Notable Quotes: “When everyone at the office looks the same and acts the same way, and everyone orders the same thing off the same menu, that’s not culture.” – William Vanderbloemen
“Culture is changing and will continue to change, but you can’t sit back and wait for the waves to settle. The tsunami’s coming, whether you prepare for it or not, and it’s time to get your feet wet.”
"Culture trumps your business idea. Culture trumps your strategic plan. Culture even trumps the competency of your team. Discovering your culture is necessary because culture wins. It wins every time. If you had a bad culture, it will win – and ruin your company. And if you have a great culture, It will also win and enable you to do great things. Strategy is great. Having talented people is a must. But the real team wins come when culture is working."
"Every company I've studied that has a great culture has a leader living that culture who's totally committed to it. The more the leader lives out the culture, the more employees will follow suit. It's up to the leader of an organization to set the tone for the rest of the company."
"When people in your company stop referring to the organization or its leadership in the first person, as "we" and start referring to it in the third person, as "they," there's a problem."
If you are interested in more suggestions about personal development, growth and leadership; follow me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthshe... to see content on “level up literature” #lul
July 24, 2018
Most people go to work because they have to. They have jobs which they can tolerate but don’t particularly enjoy. However, some people are so engaged in their employment that they can’t wait to get out of bed in the morning so they can get to work. And a tiny percentage of workplaces have lots of employees like that. What is it about a workplace that determines whether employees are going to love working there?
According to William Vanderbloemen in this book, the secret sauce is in the organisation’s culture. If you can create a distinctive and attractive organisational culture, and if you can rigorously ensure that all your employees are a strong fit for that culture, then your workplace can become the type of place where people really want to work, leading to sustainable increases in revenue and impact.
An organisation’s culture is largely reflected in its values – not the values determined by management, but the values which are actually lived out by the employees. The author’s company, Vanderbloemen Search Group, has articulated nine values: Broadband love, Unusual servanthood, Wow-making excellence, Ridiculous responsiveness, Solution-side living, Ever-increasing agility, Stewardship of live, Constant improvement, and Contagious fun. While many companies value “excellence” and “responsiveness”, the true nature of these values for Vanderbloemen is captured in the adjectives “wow-making” and “ridiculous”.
The book was fairly easy to read, and quite persuasive in its insights into building a contagious culture.
According to William Vanderbloemen in this book, the secret sauce is in the organisation’s culture. If you can create a distinctive and attractive organisational culture, and if you can rigorously ensure that all your employees are a strong fit for that culture, then your workplace can become the type of place where people really want to work, leading to sustainable increases in revenue and impact.
An organisation’s culture is largely reflected in its values – not the values determined by management, but the values which are actually lived out by the employees. The author’s company, Vanderbloemen Search Group, has articulated nine values: Broadband love, Unusual servanthood, Wow-making excellence, Ridiculous responsiveness, Solution-side living, Ever-increasing agility, Stewardship of live, Constant improvement, and Contagious fun. While many companies value “excellence” and “responsiveness”, the true nature of these values for Vanderbloemen is captured in the adjectives “wow-making” and “ridiculous”.
The book was fairly easy to read, and quite persuasive in its insights into building a contagious culture.
February 2, 2022
Here's some helpful thoughts I got out of the book:
Are your best people encouraging their friends to work at this job? That’s the best test of customer satisfaction.
If you were an employee at your company, would you encourage your friends to work there?
Do people trust the leadership of the organization?
If you are not innovating, you are dying.
Do people have the tools they need to get the job done?
Remember that people do not leave organizations, they leave managers.
Do you micromanage or give them room to be creative?
Do people enjoy the workspace? Is it a comfortable and nice place to work? Would you feel comfortable in working in that workspace?
Do your core values align with what is being practiced?
How often do you hear people say, “That’s not my job.”? This is not a good quality.
No matter how competent people are, if they don’t fit your culture, it will hurt your organization.
There can’t be a different set of rules for the management and employees.
Hire people by character, competency, chemistry and culture.
You must ask yourself if putting someone on your team will add to your organization or subtract from it.
Sometimes it’s worth stopping everything and having a little fun.
When people want to stay at work, that is a good culture.
Are your best people encouraging their friends to work at this job? That’s the best test of customer satisfaction.
If you were an employee at your company, would you encourage your friends to work there?
Do people trust the leadership of the organization?
If you are not innovating, you are dying.
Do people have the tools they need to get the job done?
Remember that people do not leave organizations, they leave managers.
Do you micromanage or give them room to be creative?
Do people enjoy the workspace? Is it a comfortable and nice place to work? Would you feel comfortable in working in that workspace?
Do your core values align with what is being practiced?
How often do you hear people say, “That’s not my job.”? This is not a good quality.
No matter how competent people are, if they don’t fit your culture, it will hurt your organization.
There can’t be a different set of rules for the management and employees.
Hire people by character, competency, chemistry and culture.
You must ask yourself if putting someone on your team will add to your organization or subtract from it.
Sometimes it’s worth stopping everything and having a little fun.
When people want to stay at work, that is a good culture.
October 27, 2021
Last week I finished Culture Wins by William Vanderbloemen. In this book the author defines - "Culture is about how a team uniquely functions when it’s at its best". An organization’s culture is largely reflected in its values – not the values determined by management, but the values which are actually lived out by the employees.
Here are some of the points discussed in the book.
* The whole is greater than the parts if you have a good culture.
* Unhappy employees is a disadvantage.
* two-third of employees in America hate their jobs.
* You can no longer treat people like crap because we are running out of people. The generation hump.
* Culture index generally goes down after employing someone new. But this is not always the case especially if you have a healthy culture.
The author encourages us to Hire slowly, fire quickly. The 4 C’s to hire for are -
* Character
* Competency
* Chemistry
* Culture
Source: http://www.dragon-bishop.com/2021/10/...
Here are some of the points discussed in the book.
* The whole is greater than the parts if you have a good culture.
* Unhappy employees is a disadvantage.
* two-third of employees in America hate their jobs.
* You can no longer treat people like crap because we are running out of people. The generation hump.
* Culture index generally goes down after employing someone new. But this is not always the case especially if you have a healthy culture.
The author encourages us to Hire slowly, fire quickly. The 4 C’s to hire for are -
* Character
* Competency
* Chemistry
* Culture
Source: http://www.dragon-bishop.com/2021/10/...
September 6, 2020
I was drawn to the book as I think culture in a workplace is one of the most important things to get right. And this book also stress that. But this book assumes the context of people working for a cause, ie in this case for their believes. Not al work places is the passion of their employees. Making it less useful for the rest of us.
Also is the multiple references to pseudoscience personality colours, making me doupt the rest of the validity of what the author is trying to say.
Finally I think that few workplaces has the kind of importance that motivates the 24/7 availability that the author expects out of their employees.
Though it drives on the topic of the importance of culture to employee and company fit. That's true :)
Also is the multiple references to pseudoscience personality colours, making me doupt the rest of the validity of what the author is trying to say.
Finally I think that few workplaces has the kind of importance that motivates the 24/7 availability that the author expects out of their employees.
Though it drives on the topic of the importance of culture to employee and company fit. That's true :)
February 14, 2022
Listened on Audible which took less than 4 hours, so at least I didn't invest much time in this one. This book states over and over that culture is vital and must be nurtured and protected against all costs, but never actually tells you how to CREATE culture. Additionally, the author's company just sounds a bit odd and certain things he does would never fly in today's employment environment (like requiring new hires to complete Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University on their own dime, own time, and prior to being given the position. FPU is expensive and takes weeks to finish. Try that post-pandemic and you'll never hire anyone.) Did not feel like this one taught me anything substantial. ⭐️⭐️/5
July 29, 2021
Book is nice and I love the messaging. However, I think the author goes too far in how much culture is important (the single most important thing?). The two things that I missed the most were 1. He talks about his own experience and doesn’t show how to do it generally. He says there are “many types of crazy” but only explains his and how found it - not how you should find yours, so it’s more of his story than anything. 2. I think he misses the fact (though it is mentioned a few times ) that you need a GOOD culture and not A culture. What is good? No one knows :/
Btw, saying that Uber failed as a company because it had a bad culture? Many companies would die and kill for a 90B$ valuation.
Btw, saying that Uber failed as a company because it had a bad culture? Many companies would die and kill for a 90B$ valuation.
May 23, 2018
I really liked this little manifesto on workplace culture. The premise is basically "Culture Wins," and that whether you have a healthy workplace culture, or a toxic workplace culture it is your culture that determines your future, whether employees stay or go, and ultimately move you further towards or away from your cause.
The author is casual and easy to read, though I found it a little bit repetitive at times. For anybody who is a leader in their workplace, I think this book is a terrific resource which will help you develop your culture into one that is attractive and productive.
The author is casual and easy to read, though I found it a little bit repetitive at times. For anybody who is a leader in their workplace, I think this book is a terrific resource which will help you develop your culture into one that is attractive and productive.
January 21, 2019
Reality check on the primary importance of culture
The strongest sections of this book are the initial argument for the priority of culture, questions to ascertain your current culture, hiring (and firing) for culture, and Vanderbloemen's description of his development of culture in his companies. The book also addressed systems to create or promote culture, but this was underdeveloped. Since that is the most important part of the book, it left me wanting. But at least it left me wanting more, so I'll read more.
The strongest sections of this book are the initial argument for the priority of culture, questions to ascertain your current culture, hiring (and firing) for culture, and Vanderbloemen's description of his development of culture in his companies. The book also addressed systems to create or promote culture, but this was underdeveloped. Since that is the most important part of the book, it left me wanting. But at least it left me wanting more, so I'll read more.
February 15, 2022
Your coworkers is not your family. Some things said we're positive, but a lot of focus made how work it is your family, which it's not true. Corporate world it's a cruel space, and if you're not performing based on their need, even when having personal issues, you will be let go from the company, unexpectedly.
The writer of this book looks too naïve believing that your work is a family.
The writer of this book looks too naïve believing that your work is a family.
May 14, 2022
The title is the big takeaway. Culture wins over other important aspects of your organization. Good culture wins is obvious, it is also true that bad culture wins. As for a “roadmap” to building a culture? There are better books on that topic. I did find the chapters on hiring and firing to be helpful reminders.
September 13, 2022
Getting real sick of “books” that claim to have some sort of value when in reality they are just an ad for that companies business system.
Don’t waste your time reading this.
LONG STORY SHORT
The title of the book is all you need to read.
Culture changes businesses.
Boom saved you a few days of reading.
Don’t waste your time reading this.
LONG STORY SHORT
The title of the book is all you need to read.
Culture changes businesses.
Boom saved you a few days of reading.
November 4, 2023
TLDR: you should hire for culture fit & chemistry over competence (direct quote) which is pretty much textbook for only hiring people that look like you. Their team is 95% white, so it checks out. If you’re never thought about culture in your life it could be interesting but if you have thought about it even vaguely before then this is just mansplaining.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2020
I love reading about culture and always strive to create the right kind of culture at my place of work. This book really helped me think more clearly about what I could be doing to elevate culture even more. Here are some of my favorite thoughts from the book...
"Culture trumps your business idea. Culture trumps your strategic plan. Culture even trumps the competency of your team. Discovering your culture is necessary because culture wins. It wins every time. If you had a bad culture, it will win – and ruin your company. And if you have a great culture, It will also win and enable you to do great things. Strategy is great. Having talented people is a must. But the real team wins come when culture is working."
"Smart companies are investing time, money, and other resources into developing a culture right now that will provide an irresistible workplace for the new workforce. Developing that culture may not seem like an urgent matter today, but it will become a much higher priority as your people leave and there are a limited number of people to fill those positions."
"A culture is a way of life of a group of people – the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them and that are passed along by communication and imitation from one generation two the next."
"Knowing what you and your company stand for, and creating a culture that reflects what you stand for, is essential to attracting that workforce."
"People don't leave a job; they leave managers."
"Culture trumps competency."
"Words don't set a culture, but people do. Part of our culture is striving to understand one another's personalities and communication preferences, so we know how to best serve each other."
"Offering flexibility to people improves their quality of life outside the office so they can be happier when they're at work."
"You have three options for making a radical shift in the culture. First, you can shift people around in their roles. The second option is to examine the culture of people at the top, and if there's a problem, let them know they have to make a change. The third and most radical option to fire someone- likely someone at or near the top of the organization."
"Cultural values can't be plain – vanilla concepts that have no basis in who you are and what you do. They have to reflect your reality. They have to be real.The goal of creating a healthy culture isn't, but to hire people of the same gender, race, or age, but to hire people who are a good cultural fit."
"Once you've documented your values, you have to live them. You have to find ways to start living out the culture you've defined in every phase of the organization."
"Every company I've studied that has a great culture has a leader living that culture who's totally committed to it. The more the leader lives out the culture, the more employees will follow suit. It's up to the leader of an organization to set the tone for the rest of the company."
"Big companies have very little chance of beating small companies when it comes to culture. You see, the bigger your company gets, the more opportunities there are for more culture leaks. Your naturally flowing company culture can't be contained in a busted pipe line, so you have to be proactive about discovering cultural leaks and do something about them."
"One way we maintain our culture is by formalizing culture – enhancing activities. We defined a budget and created a culture calendar. We also became very intentional about hiring around our cultural values."
"Sometimes, with people's lives change, they may no longer fit in your company's culture. While you should always want your people to stay and never look forward to turn over, you have to accept that chemistry is seasonal and cultural fit is seasonal. People change, they have life changes, and sometimes they have to move on. That's okay, as long as you don't have rabid turnover. But those exceptions aside, if you hire for culture, most people will fit in for a long time."
"Hiring people of good character goes without saying, and people won't likely even get a first interview if I have questions about their character. In most cases, competencies are nice to have, but, for many jobs, they can be learned on the job. More than anything, I worry about what the added person will do to the culture."
"If people aren't driven by your cause, they're not going to fit the culture."
"I believe any skill can be taught, but I can't teach you how not to be a jerk."
"When people in your company stop referring to the organization or its leadership in the first person, as "we" and start referring to it in the third person, as "they," there's a problem."
"If you don't make it someone's job to drive the culture, it won't happen. Someone who's in the trenches is going to have a better sense of what works and doesn't work for a culture."
"If people don't improve and you have to let them go, be clear about the reason, too: You are protecting the culture of the company. When someone isn't fully part of the DNA of a culture, that person is an intruder to the company. It's better to protect the body and get rid of the cancer early than to let it spread."
"Culture trumps your business idea. Culture trumps your strategic plan. Culture even trumps the competency of your team. Discovering your culture is necessary because culture wins. It wins every time. If you had a bad culture, it will win – and ruin your company. And if you have a great culture, It will also win and enable you to do great things. Strategy is great. Having talented people is a must. But the real team wins come when culture is working."
"Smart companies are investing time, money, and other resources into developing a culture right now that will provide an irresistible workplace for the new workforce. Developing that culture may not seem like an urgent matter today, but it will become a much higher priority as your people leave and there are a limited number of people to fill those positions."
"A culture is a way of life of a group of people – the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them and that are passed along by communication and imitation from one generation two the next."
"Knowing what you and your company stand for, and creating a culture that reflects what you stand for, is essential to attracting that workforce."
"People don't leave a job; they leave managers."
"Culture trumps competency."
"Words don't set a culture, but people do. Part of our culture is striving to understand one another's personalities and communication preferences, so we know how to best serve each other."
"Offering flexibility to people improves their quality of life outside the office so they can be happier when they're at work."
"You have three options for making a radical shift in the culture. First, you can shift people around in their roles. The second option is to examine the culture of people at the top, and if there's a problem, let them know they have to make a change. The third and most radical option to fire someone- likely someone at or near the top of the organization."
"Cultural values can't be plain – vanilla concepts that have no basis in who you are and what you do. They have to reflect your reality. They have to be real.The goal of creating a healthy culture isn't, but to hire people of the same gender, race, or age, but to hire people who are a good cultural fit."
"Once you've documented your values, you have to live them. You have to find ways to start living out the culture you've defined in every phase of the organization."
"Every company I've studied that has a great culture has a leader living that culture who's totally committed to it. The more the leader lives out the culture, the more employees will follow suit. It's up to the leader of an organization to set the tone for the rest of the company."
"Big companies have very little chance of beating small companies when it comes to culture. You see, the bigger your company gets, the more opportunities there are for more culture leaks. Your naturally flowing company culture can't be contained in a busted pipe line, so you have to be proactive about discovering cultural leaks and do something about them."
"One way we maintain our culture is by formalizing culture – enhancing activities. We defined a budget and created a culture calendar. We also became very intentional about hiring around our cultural values."
"Sometimes, with people's lives change, they may no longer fit in your company's culture. While you should always want your people to stay and never look forward to turn over, you have to accept that chemistry is seasonal and cultural fit is seasonal. People change, they have life changes, and sometimes they have to move on. That's okay, as long as you don't have rabid turnover. But those exceptions aside, if you hire for culture, most people will fit in for a long time."
"Hiring people of good character goes without saying, and people won't likely even get a first interview if I have questions about their character. In most cases, competencies are nice to have, but, for many jobs, they can be learned on the job. More than anything, I worry about what the added person will do to the culture."
"If people aren't driven by your cause, they're not going to fit the culture."
"I believe any skill can be taught, but I can't teach you how not to be a jerk."
"When people in your company stop referring to the organization or its leadership in the first person, as "we" and start referring to it in the third person, as "they," there's a problem."
"If you don't make it someone's job to drive the culture, it won't happen. Someone who's in the trenches is going to have a better sense of what works and doesn't work for a culture."
"If people don't improve and you have to let them go, be clear about the reason, too: You are protecting the culture of the company. When someone isn't fully part of the DNA of a culture, that person is an intruder to the company. It's better to protect the body and get rid of the cancer early than to let it spread."
September 12, 2020
This was such a good book. The principles are so valuable for anyone who has a team. I will implement the good in settings I find myself leading in.
“The future doesn’t belong to the talented, it belongs to the cultured because culture trumps everything.”
“The future doesn’t belong to the talented, it belongs to the cultured because culture trumps everything.”
June 4, 2022
Meh, some good nuggets on team building, but the same old it’s my way or the highway attitude. Probably good for small to kid size companies before they hit large company status but after they’ve hired a team that has multi layers of management
July 22, 2023
I give this book 3.5 stars. It provides guidance for those in a leadership role to create a cohesive, positive culture. If you're in a company with a toxic culture, there isn't much you can do about it and you're better off looking for a job elsewhere.
December 23, 2023
Nothing impressive about this book, was enjoyable and allowed time to reflect. Worth the read but don’t expect anything life altering or ground breaking. Hearing his story and learning about the methodology he used to select pastors for churches is cool though.
April 11, 2018
I'd give it 6 stars if I could!
I loved this book! A very insightful read into developing & maintaining culture in any organization, but especially in the church. Make sure to get their daily ministry emails...only ministry email that I read every time.
I loved this book! A very insightful read into developing & maintaining culture in any organization, but especially in the church. Make sure to get their daily ministry emails...only ministry email that I read every time.
May 15, 2018
Great book
Ive read a lot of books on culture. This is one of the better ones and i would recommend it
Ive read a lot of books on culture. This is one of the better ones and i would recommend it
May 16, 2018
A bit repetitive, but some great reflections on culture, how to create it and maintain it.
June 28, 2018
This book started out good. Then it was a little slow. Then it sped back up at the end. I almost didn't want to finish it when I was in the middle but some of those last chapters are gold.
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