Situation 1
A new (non-Delhi/Bangalore) joinee was part of the recently concluded Management Meet. On the 3rd day of the meet, I was in the conference room with my colleagues at 8am, working on a deal that was going live. He comes in and comments “Do you guys work this hard all the time, or is it only for these past days?”
Situation 2
Delhi is looking for a new office. The current one is just not enough anymore and spaces are being shared. One of the management guys commented that the new office should not be split into floors, rather be a large single unit.
2 different situations, but exhibit the same thing. In my limited exposure to building companies, my biggest learning has been that Culture gets built floor by floor. One floor will have a different culture from the other. And this keeps extending – as the company expands – cities, countries.
Nothing beats personal touch when it comes to building culture. But that isnt possible all the time. The challenge is always – how do I sitting in Delhi, get the same culture in any other city. And vice versa.
Which is why I always like movement of people. Its cross-pollination and works like magic. A personal interaction will always be more powerful than the Commandments hanging on the wall.