Just The Way We Do Things Around Here

"This is the way we do things." There is a power in that statement that implies permanence. It implies a standard. It implies expectation. It says to anyone that is new to the group or on the outside looking in that by being a part of us, being a part of the team, expects from individuals specific behaviors without excuses to deviate from those expectations.

“Why doesn’t anyone complain around here?” – This is how we do things.

“Why is everyone so friendly? I’m not use to this from previous teams I’ve worked with.” – This is how we do things.

“I’m not use to people being so upfront and open in discussion and disagreement.” Healthy discourse, this is just how we do things.

“What’s with the great energy.” – This is just how we do things.

"Everyone is early, no one is late." - This is just how we do things.

People have an innate desire to be a part of something, and when that something is the culture of your team, then what happens is ‘the way we do things’ becomes ‘the way I do things’.

If you asked yourself this question right now: “What is our ‘the way we do things’”, do you have to search for the answer, do you not have an answer, is the answer written in an employee manual, or can you confidently answer from the heart, “This is the way we do things….”