Organizational Culture Articles - Steve On Leadership

The 8-Cs of Our Company Culture

This week our Company had our annual “remote” celebration and it was no small feat. With about 35 teams of people located from Auburn, Maine to Palm Beach, Florida it was an amazing technological achievement for an organization like ours with limited financial resources, but plenty of heart. As I watched the live event this year with our Concord, NH team I was inspired by the wonderful culture our team members have created. As I thought about Paul Spiegelman’s 8 Cs of company culture, I think our team is right in line with him. Eight Cs of Company Culture. A [...]

By Steve Wood|2017-07-20T09:06:27-04:00July 20th, 2017|Organizational Culture, Teams & Culture|

Connecting Collections – Teams and Leaders

Photo by Jessica Ruscello Yesterday afternoon our 34 year-old company enjoyed a wonderful, year-end virtual celebration. Over 300 faithful team members from over 30 markets tuned-in. Proud of everyone, I was inspired by our wonderful teams and leaders that deliver rewarding service in often challenging circumstances. We are a wonderful set of connected collections; each with its own unique forces to contend with and pictures yet framed. So today, driving back to New Hampshire after being with our Rhode Islander Team yesterday, I could not help but think of what I recently read about what two research projects [...]

By Steve Wood|2017-05-19T19:54:48-04:00July 21st, 2016|Organizational Culture, Teams & Culture|

The Leader as Gardener

One of my favorite movies is Being There. It is a story about a mildly disabled man named Chance, played by Peter Sellers, and is set in Washington, D.C. The movie opens with Chance all alone in a lovely Georgetown townhouse. We quickly learn that he had been living there his whole life and his benefactor had just died and Chance has to leave. He packs a suitcase and walks out onto the streets of D.C. Uneducated, all Chance knows is what he learned from television and taking care of his benefactor’s small garden. Within minutes of leaving, he is [...]

By Steve Wood|2017-05-19T19:54:49-04:00April 22nd, 2016|Organizational Culture|

Brady Suspension is Sign NFL Out of Control

When I heard this afternoon that Tom Brady was suspended for four games, which is equivalent to 90 days for the rest of us working Americans, this confirmed for me that the National Football League (“NFL”) is out of control. I will get back to that in a minute. DeflateGate. If you have not been paying attention to this issue because it just, frankly, makes no sense or does not interest you, I completely understand. As a woman colleague said to me recently, “only a bunch of men would make such a big deal out of whether a football was [...]

By Steve Wood|2017-05-19T19:54:53-04:00May 12th, 2015|Organizational Culture, Teams & Culture|

How Four Secrets on Living to 100 Impacts Your Business

Today is my 38th birthday in the 50-0 Club. When my friends and I started turning 50 everyone joked that it was all downhill from there. So I began reversing their ages every birthday, reminding each that the goal was to get back to zero. So, the next year they were 49, then 48, and so forth. An older colleague of mine just bought a new sports car on his birthday and I thought, isn’t that what a 23 year-old should do? In Dan Buettner’s new book The Blue Zones Solution we learn details about six behaviors researchers have discovered [...]

By Steve Wood|2017-05-19T19:54:53-04:00April 9th, 2015|Organizational Culture, Teams & Culture|

A Thank You Note from Steve on a Shelf

Just over three years ago I launched this Blog not knowing how it would go. Writing a piece every week has been challenging sometimes, especially since I want the information in it to be valuable to you. Recently, with the help of two very skilled people, we have created a new look for the site that I hope you will enjoy. Steve on a Shelf. Since I often write about books I am reading, I wanted the website banner to have books in view. I also wanted something different and amusing. That was when the very creative and talented photographer, Kim Shimer, [...]

By Steve Wood|2017-05-19T19:55:07-04:00March 18th, 2015|Organizational Culture, Teams & Culture|

Can Curiosity Nourish the Soul of Your Culture?

The usefulness of harnessing human curiosity is discussed and how it can be, and has been, used to innovate companies and cultures.

By Steve Wood|2017-05-19T19:55:09-04:00December 4th, 2014|Organizational Culture, Teams & Culture|

Powerful Women Dealing with Weak Cultures – Part 1

Steve discusses how Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM, is working hard to change her company's culture to keep the company up to date with current market trends.

By Steve Wood|2017-05-19T19:55:09-04:00November 14th, 2014|Organizational Culture, Teams & Culture|

Here and Now Lessons from Lorne Michaels and Willie Nelson

I was intrigued recently with a few things I learned from Lorne Michaels and Willie Nelson. From Michaels I learned leadership lessons and from the Willie I learned a life lesson.

By Steve Wood|2017-05-19T19:55:13-04:00October 25th, 2013|Organizational Culture, Teams & Culture|

Two Lessons on How Business and Culture Impact Gender Motivation

Do you think that money can motivate people to achieve what you want? Let me start with findings from McKinsey and Company about money and motivation and finish with an interesting story about gender differences.

By Steve Wood|2017-05-19T19:55:14-04:00August 1st, 2013|Organizational Culture, Teams & Culture|