If there is anything more important than corporate culture, I am not aware what it is. A great culture reflects management par excellence. And whilst management teams come and go, corporate culture is much less transient and is likely to contribute to success for years to come. Think Wesfarmers. It is therefore surprising, that a lot of companies fail in this important regard.
One such company that certainly qualifies for the ‘Culture Club’ is YBR. Mark Bouris, Matt Lawler and the team at YBR have created a culture that cannot help but energise all who come into contact with the group.
This was particularly evident during the recent national conference in Adelaide. At every function, every seminar, every speech, there was an overriding dynamism, vibrancy and sense of purpose. Staffs at all levels were passionate about their work. The licensees spoke repeatedly about the benefits of working together, sharing ideas and protecting the brand. There was a sense of competition but with cohesion.
Given the nature of what YBR is building, there are likely to be many more ups and downs in the coming months and years. After all, they are attempting to ‘disrupt’ a large segment of the financial services industry. But if the YBR culture stays intact, they stand a very good chance of delivering on their long dated promises, to the benefit of patient shareholders.
