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Business Mojo: 4 Ways to get More Mojo into Your Company Culture

Business mojo is a company’s internal magic that creates external success. Here are 4 sure-fire ways to increase your company’s mojo.

 

This is part two of a two-part series on Business Mojo. Click here for part one.

Yesterday, you learned why business mojo is critical to your success in this article: Why It Pays to Nurture Creative Energy in Your Company Culture Understanding something in principle doesn’t mean you know how to implement it though. Developing, nurturing, and maintaining your company’s mojo is an ongoing process that is as unique as your personal mojo. That said, there are 4 things you can do that will help get more mojo into your business.

1.         Establish your company’s core values.

You need to know what’s most important in your business when you start. If you don’t know, gather your employees, your executive team, and your managers and start working on that. If your core values weren’t clearly defined when the business started (or if they haven’t been addressed since then), you may need to go back to the drawing board.

2.         Specify the behaviors your company associates with your core values.

Knowing your values is one thing, putting them into practice is another. When you identify specific behaviors that are expected or unacceptable, you make an abstract value concrete. Then, when you’ve established this behavioral framework, empower your team to make it even better. Honor their diverse skills and insights by encouraging them to actively participate in quality improvement. Engage them in the company’s mission and make sure that they understand their role in that mission’s success. Great employees believe in what they’re doing and can often provide ideas to help take your business to the next level.

3.         Openly address complaints, problems, and workplace conflicts.

Mojo isn’t about perfection–far from it! Mojo grows out of honest assessment and playfully creative problem solving. Airing dirty laundry may not take away the stink, but it’s certainly a start. When you allow your team to discuss their concerns internally without fear of punishment, they’re much less likely to broadcast them to the world, take their frustration out on your customers, or leave you for a “better” job. Having policies and protocols in place to address internal challenges along with management practices that encourage open communication help you keep great employees.

4.         Identify and nurture your company’s “IT” factor.

What is it that makes your company special? Why do people like working there? Why do your customers love you? Your Business Mojo is more than a Unique Selling Proposition (USP)–it’s your company’s internal magic. It’s easy to see the well-established magic that exudes from companies like Disney and Virgin, but what about your business? Figure out what is unique and special about your mission and culture; then nurture it. Develop it. Honor it. Play with it. This is where your mojo comes from, so don’t neglect it simply because it’s intangible. When you do this, your culture becomes much more fun and rewarding to participate in for you AND everyone else.

But what about the people who still say the customer is the most important?

Unless you only have a handful of people on your team who are all as committed as you are, the best way to provide great customer service is by creating a culture of collaboration, fun, and mojo. When your team knows what is expected of them, feels valued and appreciated, believes in the company mission, and is empowered to help it grow, your customers will be very well taken care of.


This article was originally published on Inc.com in July 2014.
Ariana Ayu is the author of the Business Mojo column on Inc.com (a website and magazine geared toward entrepreneurs) which was published between 2014-2016. Ariana is the CEO and founder of several companies, including Ayutopia International, LLC, which develops profitable collaborative corporate cultures, personal celebrity brands, and custom branded websites. Her press and media appearances include USA Today, International Business Times, ABC, CBS, CBS Money Watch, the CW, Eyewitness News, FOX, NBC, Newsday,Virtual-Strategy Magazine, World’s Luxury Guide, MoneyShow.com, Miami Herald, BlogTalkRadio, and Hollywood Industry, among others.

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