The Cambridge English Dictionary defines culture as “the way of life, especially the general customs and beliefs, of a particular group of people at a particular time.”
As experienced professionals, we often think of teams and colleagues at points in time in our careers. It is the culture, the “way of life”, that often defines the quality of those experiences.
Our culture at Hawkins Point comes from what we believe to be the best of noteworthy individuals, practitioners and friends who lead. During our careers, we have taken lessons from and are inspired by those who have guided us in an authentic, relevant and effective manner. These true leaders are dedicated to helping others thrive. They understand that trust is the root of any strong relationship. They proved you can be decent and successful.
We also seek to learn from those who notably and successfully lead in our world. An inspiration to the leadership team of Hawkins Point, Sir Richard Branson states, “every business should be a force of good”. From our inception, we have been committed not only to client service but also to community service. We serve on boards, we volunteer, and we donate; seeking to help those less fortunate.
We look to a past generation for our moral compass. Our CEO has family roots in Gloucester. By pure coincidence, we were fortunate to learn much about her family and the Gloucester fishing community at the same time of our startup planning. These were amazing people, where those who were husbands, sons, and fathers, the Gloucestermen, made their living at sea. They trusted each other, took care of each other, were dedicated family people, and were skilled at their craft. We hope to emulate these qualities. Talk about a particular group of people at a particular time.
Ours is not a job, it’s a way of life. We do what we do to make a living and provide for our families. We hope to enjoy our work and the people with whom we work. And we must do great work, remembering that we all serve a client. These are the customs and beliefs, of this special group of people at this particular time.
For additional reading on organizational culture, check out this article from Harvard Review.
