Tag: strengths

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Creating Company Culture

company culture

Every business has company culture, whether they realize it or not. Creating a strong culture within your work environment is essential to your company’s success. Read on for the four components that create great culture.

Vision

The daily grind is difficult to get through but one thing always shines through—vision.

Creating and sharing the company’s purpose to your staff can help them share in that vision. Consider asking your employees how they can support the company’s vision and one thing they can do differently to achieve it.

Values

It’s important your company values align with your employee’s values. If your company doesn’t have values, here is an easy way to create them.

During your next all-hands meeting, set aside 15-30 minutes to brainstorm what values matter in the workplace. Write every value you hear down. Once you’ve exhausted options, have your employees write down their top 3-5 of the values. Tally the results on your own time, then share the values voted on by you and your employees during your next all-hands meeting!

(Note, some values may emerge in overarching themes. For example, teamwork could also be described as collaboration, unity, combined effort, and more.)

Practices

Establish sound practices and rid your business of inconsistencies. Keep the door open with your employees to share inconsistencies, and be prepared to determine better workflows.

People

Leverage your employees strengths to increase company culture. When your employees are happy, productivity increases, and is a win-win for both parties.

Inspiration for this post came from “Create a Winning Team” by Melisa Morrison published in the August 2022 issue of American Quilt Retailer. Morrison has over 30 years of experience in Human Resources and is a former quilt shop owner. Stay tuned next week on ways to communicate employee expectations.

If you’re looking for more information to guide you in owning a retail business, subscribe to American Quilt Retailer today. Already a subscriber? No worries—join our Facebook group for insights and dialogue from industry specialists like you. And don’t forget, you can always purchase single issues if you prefer that instead.

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Personality Styles

personality types

Knowing your personality will help you play to your strengths (and recognize your weaknesses). Take the quiz to find out what style you are, and how you can apply that knowledge at work.

Personality quiz:

  1. Are you outgoing (quick to take action) or reserved (cautious)?
  2. Are you task-oriented (live and die by to-do lists) or people-oriented (tasks can wait for how someone is feeling)?

If you answered outgoing and task-oriented, you’re a driver.

If you answered outgoing and people-oriented, you’re a promoter.

If you answered reserved and task-oriented, you’re an analyzer.

If you answered reserved and people-oriented, you’re a supporter.

Traits and Downfalls

So what does this all mean?

  • Drivers are strong, aggressive, results-oriented, natural leaders. They’re powerful, impatient, determined, competitive and very-independent. They can also be stubborn, bossy, arrogant, cold, and willing to sacrifice relationships for money.
  • Promoters are creative, charismatic, risk-taking, fun, spontaneous cheerleaders. They can also be irresponsible, superficial, cocky, and bad with deadlines.
  • Analyzers are disciplined, precise, rigorous, loyal, responsible, and precise. They can also come across as emotionally disconnected, robotic, hold themselves back, and get stuck in analysis paralysis.
  • Supporters are committed, sweet, flexible, sensitive, empathetic, open, and loving. However, they also come across as sacrificial, dormant, insecure, invisible, or sad.

Knowing this can help you play to your strengths and recognize areas you can improve. Also note your employees personality types, and be sure to cater your meetings to how they work best.

Inspiration for this post came from “Know Yourself” by Beth Montpas published in the October 2021 issue of American Quilt Retailer.

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If you’re looking for more information to guide you in owning a retail business, subscribe to American Quilt Retailer today. Already a subscriber? No worries—join our Facebook group for insights and dialogue from industry specialists like you. And don’t forget, you can always purchase single issues if you prefer that instead.