It’s really the people that make a company the what it is. Companies hire people who are smart and determined, and nowadays most of the companies favor ability over experience. As Albert Einstein has said ”Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.”
With the passing of Steve Jobs, there has been an intense spotlight on both the man and the company he built. And while much of the attention has rightfully been focused on Jobs’ passion and creativity, as well as the remarkable period of innovation he presided over, there is another factor that has flown somewhat under the radar. That factor is the critical role that company culture played in Apple’s success.
When you think about Apple’s products, what words come to mind? For most people, words such as simple, elegant, and innovative are among the first. Of course, that is no accident. Those values were critically important to Steve Jobs, and he instilled them into the Apple company culture. These core values are the reason that Apple products have been so consistently excellent, and they are the reason that you can walk into any Apple store across the country and have essentially the same experience.
Apple is united by a common culture. And it is that culture that ensures that Apple customers enjoy the experience that they have come to expect whenever they interact with Apple, whether that means using their iPhone, visiting an Apple store,or calling Apple’s technical support line. A company with strong culture has also people that share common goals and visions for the company. More than sharing the same thoughts, people have to think BIG. As Donald Trump cites on his book THINK BIG “The harder I work, the luckier I get.” If you’re changing the world, you’re working on important things. You’re excited to get up in the morning, You go through to it. Everyone wants to be working on meaningful, impactful projects.
Corporate Culture includes leadership, and when we talk about this, Richard Branson comes to our head, He is best known as the founder and chairman of Virgin Group. Branson is the 4th richest citizen of the United Kingdom, according to the Forbes 2012 list of billionaires, with an estimated net worth of US$4.2 billion. Branson shares his intelligence and understands its greatest creation that is the team that can imagine, create, care for and give back. The daily belief that teams that works and plays together stays together.
A company with a strong culture strives to maintain the open mind often associated with startups, in which everyone is a hands-on contributor and feels comfortable sharing ideas and opinions. Workers aren’t afraid to ask questions directly to their CEO about company issues.Great companies have great leaders, that work hard to make sure everybody has equal opportunities and that they feel they’re having a meaningful impact and are contributing to the good of society. The lifestyle perks may be a better-known aspect of a company, but the real focus is the family feel these benefits create. It’s important that the company be a family, it’s important that people feel that they’re part of the company, and that the company is like a family to them. Treating people that way, companies get better productivity. Rather than really caring what hours you have worked, you care about output. Great companies with great culture work hard to innovate in relationships with their employees and figure out the best things they can do for them. 
Women in Leadership – We believe women more than ever would lead major portions of business companies, growing their careers and themselves along the way, taking more responsibilities, building their networks and being empowered to make an impact around the world. The work space – The work space is an important factor to a good company culture. The offices have to be designed to encourage interactions between workers within and across teams, and to spark conversation about work as well as play. 
This is the reason Google Offices are extremely comfortable, providing different aspects also related with the culture of the country where google offices are, all around the globe. 
At Zara, the employees work has a team to get the job done successfully. When they are considering a new product, it gets designed, made and criticized in a matter of a few hours. All the employees have to work together to finish this process. Zara requires employees who are humble enough to accept feedback from colleagues, share credit with their team for winning ideas. Having these standards has really helped Zara grow as a company and create a strong organizational culture. Team members are switched around to create fresh ideas, there is competition among the teams, and continuous feedback. Having this structure helps keep the workplace unpretentious and respectful.
Companies as varied as Adobe software and John Fluevog Shoes use the Web to bring customers into the development process. Fluevog fans submit shoe designs online, some of which actually are turned into products, while Adobe Photoshop’s best “plug-in” features are programmed by users and then uploaded to a special community site.
The Company Secret – Menina Design Group (the company that holds Oficina da Marca) is celebrating 10 years now and nothing better than creating “The 10 MDG Secrets” to pass the word through all employees.
Moreover, the practice of creating and sustaining relationships are key both inside and outside the company. When looking at good cultures, then it will be which ones do shareholders believe in and more align with their values. After all, stakeholders are a part of the team. Their contribution is not time, energy or creativity…they are contributing their hard earned dollars and trust into the team and the culture. Companies that develop an amazing culture and then proudly let others know about it, will create, hold and grow more value.
By Juliana Guiomar – CEO’s Personal Assistant
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