Fleet Success: Intentional Culture

Defining Intentional Culture

One of the most pivotal pillars of Fleet Success, we define Intentional Culture as “Purposefully deciding the type of environment you want at your fleet and taking ownership to shape that identity.”

The key word is “purposefully.” You might have a culture at your operation – but is it one that you intended to have, or did it happen accidentally? It’s essential to define your culture.

Accidental Vs. Intentional Culture

Whether you realize it or not, your fleet operation has a culture in place. It just might not be a culture you intended to create and instead happened by default.  It might take the form of the people you hire. This can be risky because it means you don’t have control of the culture.

When you create an Intentional Culture, you define the parts of your culture you want to amplify and the behaviors you want to get rid of, and then you hire (and fire) on those parameters to keep the culture moving in the right direction.

How To Create An Intentional Culture

Building an Intentional Culture falls on the leader of your fleet operation. As the leader, you have three primary responsibilities: Build the team, Set the vision, and Deliver results.

First, you need to make sure you have the right people on your team – and in the right roles.

Next, you need to set the vision by creating clarity and discovering your operation’s true purpose and defining your core values and setting your mission.

Finally, you need to determine how you will communicate your vision, and how you will deliver results.

Ways To Create An Intentional Culture

Creating an Intentional Culture is something that isn’t just done once and you can check off a box. It’s an ongoing process and takes constant reminders to ensure you are focused on the culture and aren’t slipping back into an accidental one.

Some ways you can keep working towards your Intentional Culture are to:

• Purposely hire based on culture fit. This can be difficult, as you might have to pass on some top talent, but it’s essential to hold firm on ensuring new hires fit the core values.
• Be willing to fire if someone doesn’t fit the culture. Have you heard the saying that it only takes one bad apple to spoil the bunch? That can happen on your team. If you allow one person to stay who doesn’t fit the culture, it can ruin everything you’ve worked to establish.
• Conduct regular 1:1 meetings with your staff. This is essential, as it lets you check in with your team and see how they’re doing – both personally and professionally. It will also give you an indication if someone is unhappy and looking to leave.
• Repeat your core values and mission regularly. If you hold staff meetings, have your team recite the mission and values. You can also make them present around your shop through posters, or put cards on each person’s desk or workspace.