Inspiration · Topic 3 of 4
What is culture?
By RISE Business Framework · Created by Gary Harper and Brandon McCurdy · Reviewed
Company culture is the way things are done in a business. RISE designs it with four affirmations. People Affirmation plots trust and alignment. Position Affirmation plots performance and potential. Goal Affirmation sets a revenue goal that fulfills your purpose. Mission Affirmation connects personal and company purpose through shared belief statements.
Key takeaways
- Two 9-Box grids show who is moving the culture forward and who is holding it back.
- Each box in the grids carries a prescribed action, from promote them to move on.
- Goal Affirmation tests a revenue goal with four questions.
- Mission Affirmation asks whether personal purpose can be fulfilled through the company's purpose.
Culture in the RISE Business Framework
Culture is the third pillar of the Inspiration quadrant. RISE treats it as something you design, not something that just happens. The tools are four affirmations: People, Position, Goal and Mission.
Two affirmations are about people. They use 9-Box grids to place each team member and prescribe an action. The other two are about direction. They set a purpose-driven revenue goal and a shared set of beliefs.
Why culture matters
When culture is accidental, one misaligned person can set the tone for everyone. Strong performers who undermine trust go unaddressed. Good people leave.
Without shared goals and beliefs, the team has no reason to pull together. People work hard in different directions. Leaders cannot explain why the work matters.
“Culture is more than just a buzzword. It's the soul of an organization, influencing every interaction, decision, and outcome.”Gary Harper
The 4 tools of Culture
1 of 4
People Affirmation
A 9-Box that plots each team member on trust and alignment, with a prescribed action for every box.
2 of 4
Position Affirmation
A 9-Box that plots each team member on performance and potential to confirm they are in the right role.
3 of 4
Goal Affirmation
Set the revenue goal needed to fulfill your purpose, then test it with four questions.
4 of 4
Mission Affirmation
Connect personal and company purpose with six WE BELIEVE statements and a Key Purpose Indicator sentence.
How to build culture with RISE
- 1
Plot People Affirmation
Rate each team member on trust and alignment, place them on the 9-Box and take the prescribed action.
- 2
Plot Position Affirmation
Rate each team member on performance and potential, place them on the 9-Box and take the prescribed action.
- 3
Set your Goal Affirmation
Write the revenue goal needed to fulfill your purpose. Test it with the four Goal Affirmation questions.
- 4
Write your Mission Affirmation
Combine company and personal purpose statements, write six WE BELIEVE statements and finish the Key Purpose Indicator sentence.
- 5
Revisit regularly
Return to the goal and the grids often so they stay significant, inspiring and unifying.
Quick self-check
“We have a distinct company culture that keeps our team members engaged and inspired.”
AI RISE Coach
Map your team on the 9-Box with the AI RISE Coach
“Help me place my team on the People Affirmation 9-Box and decide what to do next for each person.”
Frequently asked questions
How do you build a strong company culture in a small business?
Decide it on purpose. RISE uses four affirmations: place people by trust and alignment, place roles by performance and potential, set a purpose-driven goal and write shared beliefs.
How do you deal with a toxic employee who performs well?
Plot them on the People Affirmation 9-Box. Someone with high alignment but the lowest trust lands in Culture Killing, and the prescribed action is move on.
What is a 9-Box grid?
A 3x3 grid that rates people on two axes. RISE uses one for trust and alignment, and another for performance and potential.
Related in RISE
- Long-Term Vision (Inspiration)
- Short-Term Vision (Inspiration)
- Talent Optimization (Resources)
- Talent Development (Resources)
- The Inspiration quadrant
