Those of you who missed coffee on Friday not only missed out on some interesting conversation, but you also missed the caramelitas that my wife made. Yum.
Friday’s conversation was in two parts. Part One was myself, Alison, Dan Harbison from the Portland Trailblazers, and Geoffrey Abraham (a copywriter at Euro RSCG). We started with the hot tech topic of the week: the Apple iPhone. We discussed the price (expensive), the lack of signal carriers (only Cingular), the hard drive size (4GB or 8GB), and the idea of a changing interface/buttons to control different applications. Dan says he’s getting one, but Dan also purchased a first generation iPod. The rest of us weren’t as big on it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big Apple fan and think as a device, the iPhone is cool, but for $500, and only Cingular, and a small hard drive, it’s not going to replace my less expensive T-Mobile phone and 60GB video iPod. Then again, I thought my third generation iPod was the pinnacle of awesomeness… until I got the video iPod.
From there we talked about company structures, how to approach new business challenges, and how to change company culture. Starting with the discussion we had last week about Best Buy, we talked about the idea of creating an environment that conducive to success, from department to department, and company-wide. With different business units having to accomplish separate tasks, does it make more sense to have unique cultures within each of these units, or does this create confusion within the overall company culture? And is it possible that an overall company culture could be counterproductive for success within specific business units? I’m currently reading Mavericks at Work
Part Two of coffee morning occurred when Alison, Dan and Geoffrey left for work and Colin Ivy showed up. Colin is a videographer and photographer, and came across the coffee morning thing because his wife happens to cut my hair. Ah, the strange small-town coincidences of Portland. Colin and I had a wide-ranging discussion, everything from Open Office to suicide clutches on motorcycles to giant sea turtles and roosters on Kauai. And a lot of stuff in between.
Glad you could all make it out on a sunny, cold Portland morning. Next coffee morning is Friday, January 26th, time and location to be determined.
I agree completely that a subculture can exist within a larger corporate culture. In many ways corporations are no different than the country as a whole. I work for a boss who is in charge of two groups that are both completely different in their behavior. There are a few dominating characters or perhaps characteristics within each group and this seems to drive the overall behavior of the group much more than any larger corporate mandate. I’m not quite sure how I would suggest changing company culture but I know from experience that forcing change from the top down doesn’t work well.
Regarding the iPhone, I’m pretty sure it will be a huge hit and just like the iPod less expensive models with less features will soon follow. If they ever drop the single carrier model it will decimate the competition.
7:35 pm / 15 January 2007
Thinking about corporate cultures is like thinking about brands. I get into this ‘chicken or the egg’ thing inside my mind and start spinning. Does the company make the culture or the culture (help) made the company…hence the brand? I know this is addressed in a gazillion books I’ve picked up off the shelves, but haven’t read. In my brief exposure to multi-level, multi-culture organization I’ve started wondering whether the culture (that I’m seeing) is not a product of the company or the brand, but also by product category…business function…or…??? Stephen, I look forward to reading as you continue your thought!
And tell your wife caramelitas are my new favorite breakfast!
10:14 pm / 15 January 2007