Authenticity
Demonstrate your sincerity by living the core values of your culture: Model entrepreneurial behavior. Entrepreneurs don't work hard for money or fame, but because they're truly passionate. So get excited about the work you are doing, and your employees will too. Enthusiasm is infectious.
Also, with authenticity comes transparency and honesty. In my company, all information (with the exception of individual salaries) is fair game. Sharing information gives employees what entrepreneurs have as a matter of course — intimate knowledge of the business. Strive for over-communication and encourage your people to do the same.
Commitment to People
Culture is an ecosystem where people either thrive or languish. A big factor in any cultural ecosystem is how people are treated. Are they respected and supported? Are they challenged? Do they have the resources and training they need to advance?
An entrepreneurial culture is based on the idea that each individual can be a powerful force for change in the organization. Investing in professional development is a clear indicator that people matter now and for the future.
And don't forget to have fun. Celebrating exceptional work, big wins, and milestones brings people together and acknowledges their value to the business.
Commitment to the Business
Ultimately, everything you (and your people) do should be about the business. One way to strengthen that commitment is to align an individual's interests with those of the business. At my firm, we have a program called Commission for Life™, which encourages new-business generation: Anyone who books a meeting that results in a new client gets 5 percent of the revenue for the life of the business.
Another way to commit to the business is to protect it with clear ethical guidelines and a zero-tolerance enforcement policy. This is critical not only from a financial and reputational point of view, but also because ethics matter to employees. It's easier to be committed to an organization with high ethical standards.
Continuous Effort
The work of building a company culture never stops. There are always new ways to improve communications, boost training, and provide new challenges. A culture must also be responsive to what's going on in the world. An employee once sent me an e-mail that summed up what an great company culture should strive for: "a living, breathing, adaptable, fun environment." In other words, a perfect environment for entrepreneurs.
