MAY 2019CIOAPPLICATIONS.COM8IN MY Vieworporate executives often talk about company culture during a crisis. In my mind, that's a bit like looking through the wrong end of a telescope. A sound corporate culture is vital to business success. But it can't be imposed on a company or defined retroactively. A company's culture needs to be the product of something deeper -- timeless core values. Whether you're a large multinational corporation or a small business, debating the kind of culture you should have is likely the wrong discussion. The real discussion should be about championing core values. Once those are established, the culture will follow.There's no substitute for core values and there really shouldn't be internal debate or even marked differences between companies. Every company should have a people-first mentality. Every organization should put a premium on things like innovation and integrity.Our founders were ahead of their time in 1927 when they very wisely kept things simple with a number one priority: put people first. They fundamentally understood every human being wants an opportunity to build a rewarding and meaningful life, and to be respected and valued.Fast-forward nine decades and nearly 7,000 properties later, and our core values are more relevant than ever. Interestingly, when we look at our workforce survey data, we don't see significant differences in satisfaction based on race, ethnicity, age or gender. It turns out everyone ­ baby boomers, Gen X, millennials and the emerging Gen Z ­ wants to feel good about optimizing their talents at work and their prospects for the future. There also are powerful implications to everything from the practices of diversity and inclusion, to mergers and acquisitions.If your company is focused on core beliefs, you have the building blocks for a sound and sustainable culture. So, where do you go from there? In my view, there are three key elements that matter most when it comes to translating core company values into a lasting and winning corporate culture:1: Lead by Example: Live Your Company's Core Values Leaders must make the decision to identify and affirm core values. But Rethinking the Corporate Culture ConversationDR. DAVID RODRIGUEZ, GLOBAL CHIEF HR OFFICER, MARRIOTT INTERNATIONALC
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