Posts Tagged ‘culture’

CEOs of established companies often yearn for that “start-up spirit.” And why not? They imagine an infusion of innovation carrying them into new uncontested markets where they can name their own margins and growth is inevitable.

Here’s why not. Start-ups are not innovative. Think about it. Most start-ups are one-hit wonders. It goes like this: someone has an innovative idea; they start a company; then they struggle — just like big companies — to come up with another idea. The innovation almost always precedes the start-up.

It’s ironic. Entrepreneurs are trumpeted as wellsprings of innovation. But they are successful because of their unwavering, almost myopic stubbornness — a kind of tunnel vision where all they see is their one product’s success.

Some say Larry Page is taking over at Google to get back that start-up edge. He may recapture the culture, but that won’t make another AdWords.

Two lessons here: CEOs of established companies need a systematic process for innovation, and so do start-ups.

The Oprah Winfrey Network is nearing its second month anniversary. The Huffington Post reports OWN’s rapidly growing viewership has already surpassed that of the network it’s replacing.

I’m not about to guess whether OWN will be successful or not, but here is why it should be: According to Christina Norman, the network’s CEO, “It is not a network built around a person. It’s a network built around a person’s world view.”

A “world view” establishes the beliefs, the values, and the appropriate behaviors of its people. In other words, it defines their culture.

Norman is telling us that OWN is not just a network; it is a culture in and of itself. It doesn’t serve a demographic audience; it leads people who feel in some way leaderless. It’s viewers don’t simply tune in to watch; they tune in to learn what they ought to watch.

So how can you stop serving your customers and start leading them? Figure that out, and your brand will have not just loyal fans, but a long-term competitive advantage that is impossible to copy.