bezos

Creating Culture

In Culture, Life Reflections by Jen Johnson

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Jen Johnson

Jen Johnson

Jeff Bezos (pictured) started Amazon.com with nothing—he quit his job in New York, wrote a business plan for Amazon on the drive west, and rented office space in one of Seattle’s worst neighborhoods. His first desk was a wooden door perched on two sawed-off two-by-fours. From this humble location he created the world’s largest online retail company and changed the way we think about the Web, about customers, about shopping, even about books.

He also created a culture; because the boss’s desk was a cheap door and scrap lumber, Bezos’ employees followed suit. Even ten years after the company’s 1994 launch, you could find Amazon employees using these desks. Frugality, efficiency, and focus on work instead of perks….one choice and one tangible object communicated, well, volumes about Bezos’ expectations.

Our small actions as leaders, as parents, as people leave indelible imprints on the companies, families, and lives we’re building. Staff meetings promoting collaboration fall flat when every executive returns to an office with a closed door, and paying lip service to teams won’t counteract complicated reporting lines or hierarchical org charts. Encouraging honesty and responsibility is difficult when you won’t ever apologize to your kids or be vulnerable with your spouse.

“Cultures, for better or worse, are very stable,” Bezos says. “Over time, you build up this momentum around a culture that is self-perpetuating.”

This means if you’re part of an organization, church, or home you must be very intentional about creating the culture you want. In what ways are you doing this? What past mistakes need fixed?

Photo (Flickr CC) by ptufts

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Jen Johnson

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After years of event planning and business reengineering, Jen realized she didn't actually want an office job and instead started a freelance writing and editing business in 2007. She hasn't starved, and she's had the opportunity to work with great organizations like The Los Angeles Dream Center, XXXChurch, Visioneering Studios, and The Association of Related Churches. Today she lives with her husband Matt, his two teenagers, and a really big dog in the Philly suburbs where she continues to write, pursue a seminary degree, and stay up too late.
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