26 cultural values companies get wrong

Organizational culture is often defined by its values, or lack thereof. Values are a key ingredient in “what’s it like to work here” that potential hires try to discover before signing on. It’s also what causes current employees, clients, or customers to stay or leave. Values often get defined in mission statements or corporate branding. But stating what they are doesn’t always make them so. We asked members of the Fast Company Impact Council what’s a cultural value they think most companies get wrong. Here’s what came to mind for 26 of those members. 1. ORIGINALITY Most companies get originality wrong: They confuse relevance with resemblance, assuming brands and products should look, sound, or behave “a certain way.” In established categories, teams often, consciously or unconsciously, copy successful competitors until their own brand becomes interchangeable. In my experience, the antidote is thoughtful and disciplined questioning: “What can we credibly contribute that others cannot?” and “What non-consensus belief do we hold about this category?” Let those answers guide decisions and keep originality from being diluted by category conventions. — Erik Herrström, STUDIO HERRSTRÖM …