Culture eats strategy for breakfast
"If you want something to actually happen, rather than tell people to do it"
Mike Maynard | CEO | Napier B2B
Questions:
> How would you explain what “culture eats strategy for breakfast” means?
> What do you think about this ‘advice’?
> Would you give this advice to other people?
> What's the Mike Maynard definition of culture?
> How do you define what vision, mission and strategy is and the differences between them?
How would you explain what “culture eats strategy for breakfast” means?
Strategy is what the management team tells the organisation to do. Culture is what the organisation actually does.
If you want something to actually happen, rather than tell people to do it and hoping they will do what you say, it's therefore all about culture.
What do you think about this ‘advice’?
Clearly I think it's good advice. But, like most things, it's not quite that simple. Culture and strategy are closely interlinked in the long term, so ultimately your culture will be driven by your strategy. If your strategy is to milk customers for as much profit as possible, while overworking an under-resourced team, don't expect a caring culture.
Ultimately culture eats strategy for breakfast, but come dinner time the roles might be reversed.
Would you give this advice to other people?
Of course, but with the caveat that strategy strongly influences culture.
What is the Mike Maynard definition of culture?
It's what actually gets done and, more specifically, how things actually get done in an organisation. Strategy is a high-level ambition, but culture is the low-level day-to-day reality of agency operations.
How do you define what vision, mission and strategy is and the differences between them?
I think these definitions are overrated. In the real world these things have fuzzy edges, so there is a lot of overlap and trying too hard to define them is pointless. If an agency owner clearly communicates what should be done and why, does it matter what part of their presentation is vision, mission and strategy?
However, as you've asked, I'll give it a go. Vision is the description of how things will be when you reach your target. So this can range from turnover to how people are developed within the agency: It's very broad. Mission is a simple, concise and clear way of measuring that you've achieved that vision, and typically focussed on the one goal the leadership thinks is most important. Strategy is the way that the vision and mission will be achieved.
Mike Maynard's bio
Mike Maynard is the CEO of Napier, a $7M PR and marketing agency for B2B technology companies. He is a self-confessed geek who loves talking about technology. He believes that combining the measurement, accountability, and innovation that he learned as an engineer with a passion for communicating internationally means Napier can help clients achieve their marketing goals sooner. Mike acquired Napier in 2001 and subsequently acquired Peter Bush Communications and Armitage Communication, growing the company to about 40 people today. Since that time, he has directed major PR and marketing programs for a wide range of global technology clients, reaching over 30 European countries.
Mike offers a unique blend of technical and marketing expertise and was awarded a Masters Degree in Electronic and Electrical Engineering from the University of Surrey and an MBA from Kingston University. Mike began his career as an electronics design engineer, working for companies ranging from GEC-Marconi to DDA, developing products from complex radar systems to Kim Wilde’s mixing desk. Mike later joined IDT Inc, an American semiconductor company, making his move into marketing when he switched from European Applications Manager to European Marketing Manager.
Humble promo of Mike Maynard and Napier B2B
Mike would probably never admit this himself, so he needs people like me to say this: His agency Napier is one of these agencies you probably won't hear of, unless you are in their niche, but it's an incredible agency that is consistently growing YOY. Laser focussed on a sector that many people in marketing struggle to survive in, due to requiring deep technical knowledge.
Furthermore Mike made the decision to turn his agency into an Employee-Owned-Trust, despite the fact he would have exited at a significantly higher multiple given his niche and profitability of the business. It takes real courage as a founder to make a decision like that for your team. Chapeau!
Cheers,
Daniel (Polymensa founder)
Explore other perspectives
George Anders
Senior editor-at-large @ LinkedIn
"It's an especially useful caution for outsiders with a big change agenda"
Nikki Gatenby
Non-Executive Director & Coach @ Superengaged
"Business was created by humans, not the other way around"
There are 188…
188 times you’re told the oven is hot - yet you still burn your hands.
No!
What I mean is our own subjective social reality.
My what?
Your biases.
And there are 188 of them apparently.
Oooooh tell me more…
Blindspot
It's hard enough to decide when it's the right time to exit your business. But there is one thing that a lot of founders get blindsided by once they start the negotiations.