Your Ethos – or culture – is your moral compass, to which you hold yourself accountable individually, and as a team; and to which people outside can hold you accountable, too.
Because it’s deeply rooted in your organisation, and yours alone, it’s real. In fact, it would be instinctive, if there was just one of you. But because you operate as an ecosystem, not an individual, it needs to be clarified, formalised and brought to life.
To identify your own Ethos takes curiosity, rigour and creative intelligence. To embed it takes clarity, planning and persistence. It’s an ongoing process requiring constant maintenance. That’s why we call it Active Ethos®.
Reputation is one of the principal influencers of success. Your reputation hinges on consistency. Consistent innovation, delivery, service, personality – whatever underpins success in your organisation.
If you forge a strong culture, you can attract, hire, induct, develop and promote good people. Active Ethos® creates an environment where people are unafraid of honest conversations, where criticism and praise are both understood to be beneficial, where your team members hold themselves and each other to account. In this environment, people grow alongside each other, allowing your organisation to flourish.
Communication is a two-way process. It needs equal focus on listening and articulation. It allows you to develop and embed your Active Ethos® internally, and to make it known outside. And just as your team understands what to expect of themselves and each other, so do people you come into contact with.
Your culture underpins your marketing, sales and outreach to raise you above your competitors and support growth. Customers, clients, business partners, suppliers and other stakeholders will hold you to account – which is why it’s so important to get it right.
Our Four-Step Process is designed to ensure your Ethos is uncovered and expressed accurately, to give you the tools to embed it in your organisation and build it into your brand communications.