Corporate culture, like many contemporary catch phrases, is an often overused and less often clearly understood. Not many people can define it, but they know it when they see it. It guides how people think, act and feel. It includes such elements as core values and beliefs, corporate ethics and rules of behavior. It involves how decisions are made and how work flows.

Corporate culture can be expressed in Mission Statements, Vision Statements, Strategic Plans, sales materials, websites, design of offices, what people wear to work, how people address each other, titles, and how people spend their free time. A company’s culture, whether it is a good one or not, is enormously powerful – it is a reflection of values, beliefs and behaviors and can affect how those outside your company perceive you.

Prospective employees are urged to seek the right organizational culture – one that is aligned with their personal as well as professional goals. Prospective customers are also evaluating the cultures of organizations they choose to do business with. In reality, your culture is also the driving force behind your brand. Your brand is how your market experiences your organization, regardless of what you say. And since your culture is their experience, all the marketing materials and web sites are useless if they are not consistent with the reality of your business environment.

It is not uncommon for owners and top management to characterize the culture as being one way, and yet employees and customers can experience the culture differently. Gaps between words and actions create a culture in itself, and this does not go unnoticed by the competition, prospective new hires or anyone associated with the company.

The culture of many companies is often not consciously created, but rather can be a reflection of the values of the top management or founders. The personal behavior of the leader is often the most important determinant of how the culture is shaped. Employees pay far more attention to the walk than the talk. So does your marketplace.

Making the effort to fully understand “how things get done” in your organization will put you in a better position to allow (or not) your culture to attract top talent, compete for new business and create a different, meaningful brand.