When Steve, John, and I launched Hawkins Point, a core tenet was our unwavering commitment to having a strong moral compass. Knowing that we have the power to ensure that our employees and clients are continually treated with kindness, compassion, and respect has made our five-year journey an extremely enjoyable one.
Over the years, however, many have asked us how we would be able to sustain this type of culture as our company grows. Having worked for both mid-size and billion-dollar firms, it is a fair question to ask. How do you build a value system into the fabric of your organization that can withstand disruptive transformations that naturally come with company expansion?
True. Change can be frightening. However, it is my belief that if we have an environment where people understand that they are truly cared for, it is easier to ‘move chairs around the deck’ or respectfully challenge someone’s way of thinking.
How To Continue Business Growth While Maintaining Excellent Culture
Recently, we hired three talented Leaders to our firm. Contextually, these folks are new to our journey and bring tremendous creativity as to how we might consider the company’s next important inflection point. In our weekly Strategy Session, the old and the new Leaders come together to talk about our future and it is during these sessions that I am resolute in my confidence that we can continue our growth yet preserve our culture.
I want to be challenged and I expect to be pushed outside of my comfort zone. And this is done through “our choice of words.” Who knew it, but we have created a “radically candid team culture.”
Kim Scott, author of the NYT & WSJ bestseller, Radical Candor: Be a Kickass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity, describes it as follows: “Building a radically candid team culture means to create an environment in which everyone on the team shows they care personally about one another and also is willing to challenge each other humbly, openly, and directly when they disagree or see a problem. Radical Candor really just means saying what you think while also giving a damn about the person you’re saying it to.”
Additionally, this article offers great tips on how to build a radically candid culture.
Together, we can do great things and will continue to develop what has proven to be a special environment for so many. And, along the way, we will not Lose Our Humanity!
