Do You Belong in an Enrichment Company Culture?

Wondering if you're a good fit with the company you're working for? Or is there a better culture where you'd feel more valued and appreciated? Read on to learn all about the Enrichment Culture.

(Photo: Tree of Life, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Orlando FL)

After last week’s discussion of company culture, there were some folks who commented that they can now see the “personality” in their organization, as described in William E. Schneider’s book, Lead Right For Your Company’s Type: How to Connect Your Culture with Your Customer Promise.

And they can better understand why their personality did (or didn’t) match the company they were working for. Some said the mis-match was the primary reason why they left the job and went to an organization that felt like a better fit.

Well, that’s what we’re here for! This series is designed to help you make better choices in your career and also help organization leaders align their company with traits that match the promise they make to their customers.

So today we’re moving on to describe the Enrichment Enterprise culture.

Qualities of the Enrichment Enterprise

As Schneider says, “An enrichment enterprise is values centered….They are premised on the notion that customers are paying for a fuller, better life. These enterprises help people fulfill their potential, to be all they can be…and believe in enhancing the growth, health or well-being of the customer.”

The enrichment enterprise is primarily focused on possibility and uses a personal approach to make decisions.

Schneider continues, “The enrichment enterprise…pays attention chiefly to potentiality, ideals and beliefs, values, aspirations and inspirations, and creative options. Its decision-making is people driven, organic, open-minded and subjective…fundamentally based on people’s judgment.”

You will recognize names like Habitat for Humanity, Goodwill, The Body Shop, The American Red Cross and Patagonia, along with spas, foundations, schools, rehab centers, day care centers and assisted living companies, all organizations with an enrichment culture.

Support departments like finance and accounting succeed because they function as a predictable and dependable culture (see last week’s article), but do so in service to the primary enrichment culture.

The Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID), where I once worked, had a Human Resources Department that managed Employee Benefits, HR Systems, Employee Relations and Statutory Benefits like Workers’ Comp and Short Term Disability. Those functions were regulatory in nature, driven by legislation and policy. Yet, the colleges were most definitely enrichment organizations, focused on the growth of the student, and by extension, the employee.

An enrichment organization was a fabulous fit for me, since I have a personality style that revels in personal growth and professional development. And working in the Employee Benefits Department within HR made good sense as those policies supported employee well-being.

Leadership in an Enrichment Enterprise

The leadership style that works in one type of enterprise isn’t necessarily a good fit for another. A predictable and dependable organization requires leaders who are good at planning, goal-setting, building a system that attains those goals and who rely on facts and data to make decisions. They tend to be directive in style.

Whereas, in an enrichment enterprise, leaders mentor and coach employees with an emphasis on helping them grow and succeed. They are open to new ideas that support the values of the organization and they work to mobilize commitment. These leaders tend to be charismatic and inspirational and have an interest in change and development. They are encouragers.

As Schneider describes, “An enrichment enterprise is an endeavor to continually fulfill people’s potential…it’s more idealistic than the other types…More often than not, it is about hope.”

Leaders who are drawn to an enrichment enterprise are focused on what’s possible. They have a heart for the core mission of the organization and the customers it serves. These people see their role as a “calling” and have a long-term perspective, since there is always a need to be fulfilled.

Schneider continues, “Charismatic leaders encourage creativity and new ideas…They are enthusiastic, positive and insightful. They typically create a lively, spontaneous and magnetic organization where people feel like there is never a dull moment. They welcome self-expression…They understand that willpower drives the enterprise and that energy comes from commitment to its values.”

Complementary Personality Styles

An enrichment enterprise often attracts people who fall into the “Steadiness” and “Influencer” styles on the DiSC behavioral profile. The “Influencer” type is often enthusiastic, optimistic, outgoing, high-spirited and places value on personal freedom. The “Steadiness” type is even-tempered, accommodating, patient, humble and tactful. Both styles put an emphasis on relationships.

As with any organization that leans too heavily in one direction, the enrichment enterprise may struggle to hold people accountable, overcommit themselves and, because they tend to avoid conflict, may hesitate to address problems as quickly as they should. If they get lopsided and lose their direction, they may benefit from applying a small dose of the predictable and dependable enterprise traits to balance things out.

In closing, it’s wise to consider the culture of your organization as you decide where to work, the type of board to serve on, and the leaders you hire. You deserve to apply your talents to an organization that provides a fulfilling environment and where you feel like your personality is a match.

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” —Saint Mother Teresa