Book Review: The Power Of Company Culture by Chris Dyer

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The Power Of Company Culture: About the Book

Initial thoughts upon receiving Chris Dyer’s ‘The Power of Company Culture’ were: ‘Do we really need another book on company culture?’

I was, however, surprised by the content.

A good theme with many books these days is the level of research that supports the content. Dyer does not disappoint on this front. He reviews 100’s of case studies and is in the fortunate position of having interviewed many leaders and CEO’s to gain relevant information.

As you would expect, there is the usual vision, mission and values element included. Furthermore, it was refreshing to read about contemporary organisations such as Adobe.

For people new to the subject, Dyer provides a solid explanation and backs up the rhetoric with contemporary examples. This is a positive part of the book enabling a wide audience to consider differences in culture and how different organisations use them.

7 ‘Pillars’

Of course, any management book should be practical and give useful insight into implementation. In the Power of Company Culture, Dyer breaks down culture into what he terms, the 7 ‘Pillars’. He adds in best practice approaches and mechanisms for measurement. This helps to make sure that even the smallest of organisations have an opportunity to apply the principles. Moreover, it provides the opportunity for any manager at any level to consider a cultural change. Using vision and mission as the starting point.

This is not a step-by-step guide but it certainly provides a clear pathway to help improve company culture. One other plus to this book is that it strays into other disciplines, such as psychology. In the section on listening (Pillar 6), Dyer considers the critical element of true listening. It is vignettes like this that Dyer scatters throughout the book which draws the reader into the practical world of management. This is an essential skill and yet supports the basis of not only the ‘pillar’ but the theme of the book.

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Final Thoughts

The ‘Power of Company Culture’ is a refreshingly easy read with some excellent advice and pointers.
However, there are some wide-ranging statements that can potentially put off the reader. Such as, ‘everyone is now bought into the culture’, 100% employee engagement…really?

Nonetheless, overall the book is a good contemporary addition to the culture literature. It also provides some positive tools that help the reader to think deeply about culture. A very worthwhile read and one I am very happy to endorse.

Yellow and black book cover of 'The Power Of Company Culture' by Chris Dyer
The right company culture can boost success

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