BEYOND THE CUBICLE – CORPORATE CULTURE: Brick & Mortar vs. No Boundaries, Part 2

Beyond the Cubicle - Corporate Culture with Teri Aulph

Last month we began a two-part interview with Jeff Garber, CEO and Dan Fedrizzi, COO, 360JobInterview.com. Per last month’s intro to Jeff and Dan, they have dedicated their careers to pioneering new pathways to innovative solutions in advertising, marketing and, most recently, job interview preparation and professional staffing.

The focus of this interview is the comparison of the culture of traditional brick & mortar companies vs. companies without boundaries. Part 1 focused on the advantages and challenges of leading a company without boundaries. Part 2 will take a closer look at the intricacies of leading in a world where your team may be geographically located anywhere in the world and working in various time zones.

Q. How do you maintain cohesiveness in your team transcending geographies and time zones?

Jeff:We are all compelled to work together during conventional hours. It wouldn’t be very helpful if I start my day at noon and you start yours at 8:00AM. I would not be accessible and neither would you. So, we calibrate our time zones based on everyone’s needs.

In regards to cohesiveness, differences of opinion are going to happen whether you work in a ‘brick & mortar’ company or a 'company without boundaries'. It all depends on what patterns you work within. For instance, you and I exchange 3 – 6 emails per day and the tone is always friendly and the response rate typically within an hour. If we have a disagreement, the tone of the emails and response rate will most likely change indicating we have an issue. Therefore, the issues are the same, but the cues are different. Working in a company without boundaries requires you to shift the way you work together. I am a direct communicator, if there is a problem, I prefer to be direct and discuss the issue - then let it go. You do have to be clear in your written communication using email or Skype chat. If I’m a sarcastic person and it comes across in my writing and you don’t know it is meant in good nature, there can be miscommunication. I have a rule of thumb, when dealing with someone in a professional setting; you need to be face-to-face at some point via Skype or in person in order to understand one another's personality.

Relationships are very important to our success. I recently read an article in a professional news journal that stated it is unprofessional to use smiley faces in professional communication. I disagree. I spent many years in a traditional corporate environment and understand the protocol required in that culture. However, in this environment you must find a way to convey the meaning behind your words. Icons can represent the nonverbal communication you are unable to ‘see’ in this environment. In my opinion, communication is stronger in a company without boundaries. In a traditional brick & mortar company, people tend to hide behind office doors and voice mail. In a company without boundaries, we tend to be much more accessible. Because we are all remotely located we respect the need to communicate.

Dan: I believe in a company without boundaries, we handle things differently. Rather than treating our employees as people who work for us, we tend to consider them as people we ‘work with’. It is the nature of the beast. As we work independently, we are much more connected which breeds cohesiveness. The respect we have for individual contribution allows us to come to the ‘table’ as trusted partners.

It isn’t necessarily easier to work in this environment and does have different expectations. The people who choose to work in this environment are often much easier to work with. They are more flexible, more productive and more receptive to the ideas of others. People who work in companies without boundaries often are on 24/7 and it is impossible to hide – each person has a unique set of responsibilities that is critical and connected to everyone else.

Disagreements are fewer as there is more focus on the goal than personality differences. The time we use to interact is treated differently. Because we are not in the same location 8 hours per day, we use the time we have to talk or Skype face-to-face to the best possible use of time. That doesn’t mean we are all business, we care about each other and have very good relationships. We do spend less time on small talk. We hold each other accountable which puts a higher emphasis on individual contribution. We are engaged and accountable because we choose to be.

Q. How do you manage vision and purpose? In a traditional brick & mortar company the physical location may represent the culture and have information posted representing metrics, performance, values, etc. How do you replicate that, or do you?

Jeff: I don’t think you manage vision and purpose any differently than in any other company. You can do weekly telephone calls. I stopped our weekly calls because I was doing all the talking. I prefer to talk to people one-on-one. If we need to bring someone into the conversation, we do so via conference call.

Conveying our company culture is done in a more subtle way. Its tone of communication, the website, communication vehicles, etc. For the most part, our website becomes our home base, even though that sounds really strange. The colors, graphics, tone…it defines who we are. Those silly motivational posters with stock photos that state things like - mission, leadership, and success – they don’t create the culture. I would like to think our employees are self-motivated and would be insulted by that. If you worked for a Fortune 500 company up until two years ago, people would have snickered at a border less company. They desired the powerful address on the letterhead. With what has happened in the economy, we have all seen the erosion of loyalty and the ruthlessness in the way many large corporations behave. So now, we are actually the model for next generational business. Our employees feel if they work hard, we collectively can flourish and we do amazing things. Our employees feel more empowered and more secure. I believe our employees feel more in control because more is expected of them and more is respected of them.

As opposed to an impersonal large corporation, border less companies are much more personal and relationship driven. Individual communication style is critical, as well as everyone’s input in brainstorming. Honestly, after going this route, I would never want to work in a traditional environment, again. I think it’s too constraining.

I caution people to go into a border less company thinking it is a way to have more time to themselves and work less. It is not the case and you will be found out quickly. The stigma has changed about working from home. You could be anywhere and be working. You really find out who is professional and who is not. Your professionalism is not determined by what time of day you work or what you’re wearing. In a company without boundaries, your demeanor, as opposed to the corporate suit, determines your professionalism.

I believe companies like ours are changing how business operates and the mindset. I think this entire world is upside down and we are building something new. Those who cast their construction after yesteryear are in trouble. Those who break the mold and try to build, as opposed to re-build will be the innovators.

Dan: Vision and purpose are very important. We manage them much the same as any company. It is always crucial that vision and purpose are communicated and understood by your employees.

The culture of a company is something very difficult to manipulate, regardless of the type of company you work in. In a company without boundaries, the way the work flows and the lack of traditional structure creates a natural flow that evolved into the culture. I believe our culture is one of transparency and honesty. We hold everyone’s voice as important and expect everyone to have a voice.

Traditional companies are often crippled by the structures they have constructed. Without those obstacles, we are free to move forward effortlessly and with great agility.Our culture is not a place for big egos or people who are controlling not open to change. Adaptability is paramount to our success. If you have to ‘see’ a physical place in order to understand how to work in a company, this is not the place for you. Our employees understand we are measured by the work, not the well-appointed office.

Paving a new path is great, as long as it takes you to a new place of opportunity. We have a great team who is focused on new solutions and bringing them to those who need them as quickly as possible. So, there you have it – straight from the mouths of those who are living the future today. One has to ask, if traditional companies eliminated the extremely expensive offices, what could they do to innovate new products…create more jobs…focus on the quality of the products and services they provide? Can you imagine a world where the hierarchy is eroded paving the way for individual contribution and creativity?

Thank you, Jeff and Dan for taking the time to allow me this interview. If you want to see the latest in job interview preparation and staffing solutions, please check out http://www.360jobinterview.com.


For more information, please visit Terri's TNNWC Bio.

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BEYOND THE CUBICLE – CORPORATE CULTURE: Brick & Mortar vs. No Boundaries, Part 2