Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/588129
58 • NOVEMBER 2015 • WORLD FENCE NEWS going to court at some point and for now, the fence work will have to wait. Stay tuned! These stories are but a couple of many regarding particular situations, and you probably have your own or have heard others that arise out of hu- man nature and behavior. The point of all this discussion is to serve as a reminder that you can never assume or take anything for granted when it comes to such things as property line determination, re- moval of vegetation or clearing fence lines. The more that you pay attention to details, the more you will be on the road to realizing that Profit Is Not A Dirty Word!™ World Fence News contributing editor Jim Lucci is president of Man- agement Motivational Associates of Freeport, N.Y., and for many years has written a monthly column on business management and issues which affect fence company owners and manag- ers. He is a major contributor to the Fencer's Field Report which appears monthly in World Fence News. See the ad for Management Motivational As- sociates in this month's issue of World Fence News. Mysteries are for TV and books continued from page 54 Wouldn't it be great if the process of building and sustaining a strong, vibrant culture was like an easy-to- follow recipe or even just popping the ingredients out of a can – like baking cookies? The reality, however, is that it bears a striking similarity to mak- ing a great sauce. It involves trial and error, and is often messy. Admittedly, I don't make a great sauce. My cooking more often in- volves a microwave. But my wife makes incredible sauces, and I have learned to appreciate her artistry. She spends hours simmering, reducing, and adding just the right mix of ingre- dients to create a unique masterpiece. It is a blend of art and science that comes together because of her dedica- tion and attention. There are guidelines. You can't, for example, ignore the chemistry of how ingredients interact. But there is also a tremendous opportunity for cre- ativity in crafting the perfect sauce. Some dishes need something with a little more kick – while others may need to appeal to a diverse group of palates and preferences. It is the same with your organi- zation's culture. A rigid three, five, or seven-step process will work if you are baking a cookie-cutter culture that is just like your competitor's – but, Creating your culture: Are you baking cookies or developing your secret sauce? BY RANDY PENNINGTON rigid processes and steps can be a bar- rier to creating the secret sauce that makes your organization unique. Here are four ideas you can use right now to create your culture. Take them for what they are – tips you can adapt, rather than a recipe to follow. Match your culture to your strat- egy and environment. Flexible, fun, and relaxed works if you are an Inter- net company or a hipster design com- pany. It doesn't make sense if you oper- ate a nuclear power plant or hospital! Creating your secret sauce begins with absolute honesty about your iden- tity; the environment in which you op- erate; what your culture needs to be to align with your strategy; and the resources available to get you there. Action question 1: How does your culture need to look, feel, and act in order to maximize your strategy within your operating environment? Master the fundamentals before you go for distinctive. It feels as if every article or con- ference presentation about culture features a cool idea that captures ev- eryone's attention. It could be Zap- pos paying people to leave, Google providing free meals, or giving every employee a new iPhone like Endagon Innovations. These are great additions, but add- ing distinctive elements before you get the fundamentals correct hurts more than it helps. Paying people to leave, as an example, makes no sense until you master the basics such as treating people with respect, trust, open com- munication, and accountability. Action question 2: What are the fundamental promises and expecta- tions that form the foundation of your culture, and how well are you per- forming to meet them? Focus on adapting and applying THE SKY'S THE LIMIT Introducing the ECGO-GKP, the latest cell phone entry system from ECGOI Your customers will love its user friendly features: ECGO-GKP • Programs 1,200 call in users • Holds 400 pin codes • Change codes via text message • Sends report of who comes in and out via text message to gate owner • LED lights on or off controlled via text message • Fast and easy programming from anywhere • Weatherproof stainless steel • For use with all gate automation systems 704.768.2230 • www.myECGO.com Interested in becoming an ECGO distributor… Please call us! Get your FREE ECGO App at the App Store! Code: ECGO The ECGO-GKP and the original ECGO-G have many more features that you can check out on the myECGO.com web site