2/28/2014

The Things You Do Often Create The Things You Believe | LinkedIn

Tomasz Tunguz
Venture Capitalist at Redpoint

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The Things You Do Often Create The Things You Believe

February 27, 2014

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The process of creating the right culture in a startup has always been mysterious to me. Each company's culture evolves in its own way. I've wondered whether the culture is set by the personalities of the founders, or prominently displayed value statements and mission, or biases purposely imposed in the hiring processes like Google's googliness filter. Or is understanding the psychological forces at play among employees the most important element? Maria Popova, the editor of Brain Pickings, recently wrote about one of these psychological forces called the Ben Franklin effect. She extracted this concept from a book on common self-delusions called You Are Now Less Dumb. In the post, which is very much worth reading, she writes we seem to believe that "we do nice things to people we like and bad things to those we dislike." But the Franklin Effect rejects that idea. Our actions mold our beliefs, not the other way around. Quoting from the book:

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Your attitudes came from actions that led to observations that led to explanations that led to beliefs. Your actions tend to chisel away at the raw marble of your persona, carving into being the self you experience from day to day. It doesnt feel that way, though. To conscious experience, it feels as if you were the one holding the chisel, motivated by existing thoughts and beliefs. It feels as though the person wearing your pants performed actions consistent with your established character, yet there is plenty of research suggesting otherwise. The things you do often create the things you believe.

If the Ben Franklin effect is real and we reconcile our values to our actions, culture isn't first written on a piece of paper and then manifested in the company. It's the other way around. Employees' behavior creates the culture which are then written down and posted on the wall. In which case, a startup's most effective tool to influence culture is its hiring process. To create a strong culture, founders must select the candidates who will act in the ways consistent with the company's values. Much easier said than done, particularly in this

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The Things You Do Often Create The Things You Believe | LinkedIn
competitive talent-market. But at least with the Franklin Effect there's some research to defend the hiring process.

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Anna B. Chief of Staff and Program Management Office at Hewlett-Packard Love this! Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habit. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny." -- Laozi
Like (11) Reply 13 hours ago

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Genevieve S., Karen M., Twinky Rose J., +8

Ron Baker Cass Shamond Draper PM, BSA, BI, Architect, Software RECRUITER This is right on! Love it! Age old idea, but I appreciate the new spin and perspective! "Our deeds determine us, as we determine our deeds" George Eliot and going even further back...We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit. Aristotle. Our actions shape our attitudes! If I run 10 miles a day there is a good chance I will have a positive attitude about running and consider myself a runner.
Like (5) Reply 14 hours ago Founder of VeraSage Institute

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Karen M., Cass Shamond Draper, Jo Appogast, +2

Rob H. Learning Professional / Organizational Development / www.robhefner.com / 281-5468836 The quote Anna Bedolla shared is spot on. Not everyone will agree, but lets assume for a minute that it is correct. If so, then learning to control your thoughts, your words and your actions can affect your character, or the bedrock of who you are. That bedrock is the source from which leadership springs. By practicing the right habits (first learning what those are) we can become better leaders and better people. I believe that the only way to build real leaders is to teach them how to build their own character. Some will argue that character is set in our early years. That implies that we are incapable of learning, of improving. If that is reality then I gladly reject it and choose to live in my own less constrained version. I will practice the habits in thought, speech and action that reflect the character I want the world to see in me.
Like (4) Reply 13 hours ago

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Genevieve S., Rodrigo G., Amanda G., +1

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The Things You Do Often Create The Things You Believe | LinkedIn

Steve B. President/CEO Mindful Business Solutions, A CFO With A CEO Perspective My experience is that its a two way street. Sure, your actions can influence your beliefs, but your beliefs cause you to act in certain ways. Your beliefs can reinforce your actions which in turn reinforces your beliefs. That's part of the reason why people make the same mistakes over and over again and why some people refuse to change their beliefs when faced with conflicting evidence. The trick is to break free of that cycle.
Like (2) Reply 7 hours ago

Karen M. and Paul M.

Eliud Koome Founder at Metroneur When start-up leaders 'lead by doing', they send powerful message to their staff. Staff are inspired to 'learn by doing' and thus culture is established.
Like Reply 14 hours ago

David Horsewood Owner, Fire by Light LLC Sometimes I'm surprised as anyone that something works. I "stumble" into success. Can you "stumble" into values? While many of our values grow out of what works, some of us have had our values radically changed in ways that can't be accounted for by growth or personal actions. We were doing what we always do and planning on continuing, but then we hear something or read something, maybe we see someone do something. In an instant life is never the same. Can this be replicated? Yes. Are your values worthy of following? If so, then speak of them and write of them; live them. Let people know their source. Good values are acquired by inspiration.
Like Reply 14 hours ago

Glenn S. The ENTREPRENEURIAL INSURANCE SPECIALIST Whatever your values are you bring them to your business or start up. Your business is always a mirror of your values and philosophy. Then you surround yourself with people that support you and have similar values
Like Reply 13 hours ago

Saleem B. Financial Services at Prometheus Consulting Group In Atlanta GA Metro Area Such behavior is delusional.
Like Reply 13 hours ago

Wes T. Senior Business Architect at STA Group To some extent, this is the "chicken and the egg". At the end of the day, your behaviors should reflect your values, and the value that you want to see reflected within your organization. Being clear and intentional about what those values are is important -- ultimately more important is how well the behaviors of all employees reflect those values. And how inconsistencies between behaviors and values are addressed. :)
Like Reply 13 hours ago

Bryan J. Successful Entrepreneur, CEO, Growth Executive & Strategic Advisor (Business Development, Startups, Funding, M&A) Nothing more important to #startups than getting right people on the bus. Hire slow fire fast & take deliberate action to drive culture & success!
Like Reply 13 hours ago

Angelique R. Director of Learning and Development Pretty much like "Marx turning Hegel on his head"
Like Reply 13 hours ago

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Shruti A. CFO Knowlarity Totally agree. It is the employee behaviour that defines the culture of the startup. And right behaviour starts with right hiring process. Put the later in place and former falls in place automatically.
Like Reply 12 hours ago

Karima H. Human Beings Development Corporate Culture should be an engaging strategy and the foundation for success. Culture can make or break a company. High performance Culture is a key retainer and talent-attracter. Culture deeply reflects who we are as human beings and key values to achieve, in other words, what we stand for.
Like Reply 12 hours ago

Michael Spangle 2nd Maintenance Planner at Xcel Energy Back in the 70s there was a professor at the University of Chicago, by the name of Richard Weaver. One of the books which he wrote is titled 'Ideas have Consequences'. Human response is a closed-loop. Sensory experienced is taken in. Then it is processed through the filter of our fundamental world-view. From there it goes two places. The first is stored memory. Attached to that memory are three things. 1) Priority 2) Emotional content 3) Interconnecting relationships with other memories The second place it goes is into a decision matrix. The experience is translated into a thought, which becomes the basis for a decision. This decision leads to a choice, which produces an action. The action has consequences. These consequences become new experiences, which close the loop. In the short-term, a culture is determined by the founder/s. In the long-term, by those with the greatest longevity (i.e., most knowlege/experience). In a large company, these tend to occupy the middle of the hierarchy, rather than the top. They are the senior workers and first-line supervisors. Smaller companies may very well be different on this.
Like Reply 11 hours ago

Marie E. Performing Artist at Self-Employed Ben Franklin was an Alchemist.

Like Reply 11 hours ago

Wesley T. Supervisor I am uncertain the statement is true. I tend to believe that our actions tend to be driven by our beliefs. What we believe often is the driving force of our actions that may lead to successful outcomes. Without faith and inner belief, it is like without hope and I cannot see how success can come to pass. However, our culture appears to be driven by the beliefs of others. In turn, we do things because people told us that they were the right things to do. As we do things without believing them with some success, then we may be driven to believe that they were the right things to do. I guess in this sense the statement can be true. I certainly believe that it is this kind of beliefs that the next generation is in trouble because they lack directions without good mentors. Just a thought!!!
Like Reply 10 hours ago

Marisa M. Business Development Great read! I have found that a company's culture is ever evolving each day. Each person involved in the company puts their own spin on the culture and how it grows or declines. I've found that just one person deciding to be the positive changing factor in a negative culture can have such a tremendous effect on things. It takes a constant reminder to see the change you must be the change, but it's a great thing to remember. Also, Anna, I couldn't agree more with the quote you posted. I think I may print that and hang it in my office.
Like Reply 10 hours ago

Martin M. Bronze Certified Lean Tech All models are false, but some are useful.

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Why does this have to be either / or?

The Things You Do Often Create The Things You Believe | LinkedIn

I can first think of how I want reality to be. Imagine what the reality would feel like. Try it on. Custom tailored to fit. Mind to muscle. Or I could find a reality I like and model it until I make it my on. Modeling. Work place culture? Same thing.
Like Reply 6 hours ago

Rocco M. Associate - Advice Platform Coaching at NAB Reminds of a quote from a former boss, "Don't hire someone you wouldn't invite to your home for dinner."
Like Reply 6 hours ago

M'hamed B. Inspector/Investigator/Analyst at Health Canada It's difficult to be on our best behavior and manner all the time at work or at home. We progressed through imitation from our own environment. What human race in any culture are doing is observing others and imitating each other. The difference between any of us is the knowledge and wisdom we have gained since our childhood. We can be a bunch of good or bad actors. In this temporary life we are constantly dealing with many changes, challenges and situations. unfortunately all our actions will always be judged by those who we imitated.
Like Reply 4 hours ago

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