Culture and values equals authenticity final

Some time ago, I was asked what another word for ‘culture’ would be, and I couldn’t answer immediately.

I found it a very powerful and striking question, and worthy of some deep thought. My search for a word led me to examine the culture processes we have in place here at King Price. I especially looked at how we support our teams as they examine their beliefs. And here’s my answer: Essentially, the closest synonym for ‘culture’ is ‘authenticity’.

Let me explain: Culture is a belief system. Our teams’ shared beliefs are what bring our culture to life. When we capture the essence of a team’s culture, we capture the authenticity of the team’s beliefs.

This doesn’t happen organically though. It’s a process of facilitating discussions. Defining and building a company’s culture is a process that can only happen after you’ve unearthed and articulated the beliefs that teams have about a company’s values. 

At King Price, we encourage debate and discussions. We have what I call ‘belief conversations’ which enable our people to get to the core of our beliefs. What they really mean, and what they look like in action. It’s a process of shaping and discovering. 

Personal opinions are always welcome. Learning to see things through different lenses is a critical part of personal growth. But the sweet spot is when our teams arrive at a shared mindset, which is authentic because of the deep exploration that’s happened. 

Your belief systems can shift when you’re exposed through

conversations to other peoples’ belief systems, and this can broaden your horizons and contribute to the maturity of how you see or interpret something. So, when you’re exposed to other belief systems that are maybe deeper or better explained than yours, it can change your belief systems, and this can change your behaviour. Values themselves don’t drive behaviour. Beliefs about values determine behaviour.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Culture is founded on values – a shared belief system that’s so entrenched that it drives every decision made in a business. Do I answer this call with a smile in my voice and a can-do attitude? Do I greet our security and cleaning staff by name? Do I pick up the slack from a co-worker who’s dealing with some personal issues? Do I contract with a partner whose values differ radically from ours? Your belief system is the default setting from which you will answer all these questions.

With all this said, it’s clear that shared beliefs equal aligned behaviour. Aligned behaviour equals culture in action. And culture equals authenticity. Or does authenticity equal culture? Great question! I’ll give it some deep thought and get back to you.