Culture and Innovation: which comes first?
The dilemma of ‘which came first, the chicken or the egg?’ is used in every day language to identify the first case of a circular case or consequence. The solution is neither black nor white, but rather, some shade of grey. Depending on the context, the shade can definitely skew more towards one end or the other. Determining the order between culture and innovation, however, can prove to be a bit more in the middle. Many CEO’s set out to create a corporate culture that is unique to their company and promotes productivity and creativity. But few are successful in developing or fostering cultures that embrace change and innovation. Few cultures celebrate challenging the status quo. Yet it is essential to have this as a pivotal point in your corporate culture in order to succeed. The business landscape is ever changing, and can be filled with peaks, valleys and plateaus. The most successful navigators of this are the companies that can adapt to the current environment, and keep pace.
Change is scary and hard, and many people feel secure in the ‘this is how we’ve always done it’ mentality. But oftentimes the greatest advancements are made when people are pushed out of their comfort zone, and forced to find a new way of doing something. The uncertain future can seem daunting, but working together as a team can lessen the fear. Company leadership should promote accountability, not just to upper management, but also between peers. Having employees that are accountable to each other will help ensure that they produce their deliverables as a team, which will help strengthen a culture of team success and rewards.
Accountability and trust go hand in hand, but neither can be accomplished without communication. And when building a sustainable corporate culture, open communication must start at the top with clearly defined values, strategies, goals and expectations. These must be communicated frequently, consistently and transparently. Transparency means communicating successes and failures equally, so be prepared to own up to anything that needs work. There may be different levels of management, but communication must start at the top and trickle down through all layers of accountability. This will help build trust and employees will work harder for leaders they trust.
Being the leader definitely comes with a heavy responsibility. It may be necessary to make difficult decisions for the overall strategy and success of the company. These must be made quickly to capitalize on the momentum of change. An immediate need is better met than one that slowly creeps up. If there is a decision to be made, make it, and communicate how it affects not just the company, but also how it affects the employees.
Successful companies are those successful at adapting to change. It is not enough to just say that you promote innovation in your culture - you must also live it. It has to start at the top, and leaders have to be willing to do what they are asking their employees to do. They must be flexible. They must be sustainable. They must share in the vision of the company. And they must be willing to forge ahead, even if they do not know what will come next.
The Culture Counts blog is a discussion of law firm culture and legal innovation, including topics such as effective leadership, employee engagement, workplace culture, ideal work environment, company core values, and workplace productivity.
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About the Firm:
Klemchuk LLP is a litigation, intellectual property, transactional, and international business law firm dedicated to protecting innovation. The firm provides tailored legal solutions to industries including software, technology, retail, real estate, consumer goods, ecommerce, telecommunications, restaurant, energy, media, and professional services. The firm focuses on serving mid-market companies seeking long-term, value-added relationships with a law firm. Learn more about experiencing law practiced differently and our local counsel practice.
The firm publishes Intellectual Property Trends (latest developments in IP law), Conversations with Innovators (interviews with thought leaders), Leaders in Law (insights from law leaders), Culture Counts (thoughts on law firm culture and business), and Legal Insights (in-depth analysis of IP, litigation, and transactional law).