Bridgestone leaders create core values to shape company culture
- Bridgestone held a meeting with its top 150 leaders to collectively create core values.
- The leaders reflected on desired behaviors and agreed upon a set of values known as the Rules of the Road.
- This collaborative process ensured employee buy-in and accountability towards living by the established values.
In a strategic move towards cultural transformation, Bridgestone convened its top 150 leaders weeks ago. This pivotal meeting aimed to establish foundational company values through a collaborative process. During these discussions, leaders reflected on their desired corporate identity and assessed existing behaviors that did not align with this vision. This collective approach allowed for the development of 'Rules of the Road,' a set of values agreed upon by all participants. By signing a flip chart displaying these values, leaders symbolically committed to fostering a culture aligned with the defined principles. The process emphasized inclusivity, as even if not every employee could participate directly in value creation, their input was welcomed in the conversation. This engagement instilled a sense of ownership among managers, which was crucial for cultivating buy-in for the new values. Ongoing discussions in regular meetings were encouraged, where teams rated their adherence to these values and provided feedback. Such measures aimed to ensure that the values were not merely stated but were integrated into everyday actions and behaviors across the organization. To reinforce these values, Bridgestone implemented a peer recognition system called the CARES Spotlight, which allowed employees to nominate their colleagues for embodying these values. This initiative illustrated that the values were actionable and perceived as integral to company life, enhancing emotional investment from employees. The initiative demonstrated that adherence to declared values was critical for sustaining a positive company culture, where employees felt empowered to hold each other accountable. The emphasis on collaborative value creation and continual feedback loops outlined a clear pathway for the company's cultural evolution. As Bridgestone commits to these efforts, the hope is to foster an environment where employees actively embody and promote the core values, thus strengthening the corporate identity and overall company culture.