[ Three practical tools to help you ] Boston College Carroll School of Management September 15, 2010...

Designing & building culture at a startup

[ Three practical tools to help you ]

Boston College Carroll School of ManagementSeptember 15, 2010

Rishi [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

What is startup culture?

2Rishi Dean – www.rishidean.com

Started in a place like this?


By people like this?


To become world renowned places to work, like this?


WRONG


Culture doesn’t just

happen


…especially in a startup

Startup culture is really hard to build…and harder to maintain


WHY?9Rishi Dean – www.rishidean.com


Hyper-growth

Stakeholders

MoneyAmbition

“Karaoke Creativity” won’t cut it


Must be specific to

your problem,implemented by your

people,in your business context.


…and withstand the test of time

3 Ps of Culture Creation


1) Purpose2) People3) Process

1) Purpose


What do you value?


Customer Employee

Product

2) People


Team DNA

Rishi Dean – www.rishidean.com

“Brains”: Right & Left, Judgment, Creativity

“Guts”: Conviction & courage under uncertainty

“Charisma”: Leadership, negotiation, relationship management “Character”: Bias for

action, integrity, empathy

3) Process


Now, you’ve got

to stick with it


You will be tested…


Keeping regular meetings

Celebrating the small stuff

Remote teams Tough hires Tougher fires Personnel issues Winning a deal …

TakeawaysStartup culture is unique

Starting from zero (it just doesn’t happen) Driven by few, shaped by many Lots of external factors Can’t cut & paste

Three tools of culture creation:1. Purpose: what you value2. People: who you recruit & retain3. Process: what systems you build

Hard to build, easy to break23Rishi Dean – www.rishidean.com

I’m here to help


E-mail: [email protected] Blog: rishidean.com Twitter: @rishidean

[ Three practical tools to help you ] Boston College Carroll School of Management September 15, 2010...

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