By Julie Ahadi.
At the core of every firm, big or small, there are a handful of people who are not only responsible for directing the growth of the business, but who, by default, set the tone of the firm’s culture. Leading by example is not just a cliché, it is the life source of an organisation, and all that transpires emerges as a direct result. Greed and a disregard for professional ethics did not worm its way into and corrupt the global banking system from the outer edges, for example. Its leaders had themselves been the torchbearers of such behaviour and by doing so, actively or not, encouraged others to act this way. Just as a child’s behaviour is often judged as a product of a parent’s example, so too can the conduct of a company’s employees be seen as representative of that of its inner circle.
A few years ago, in an attempt to capture the essence of what made Source Source, the directors of the business created a bio of a virtual employee (“Judy Bright”). Judy’s personal and professional characteristics summed up those of our then-employees just as they do today, five years on. The initiative provided our customers and new recruits alike a sense of our unique culture, and the values we as a business hold dear.
