The last few years have seen a steady rise in conversations about culture: what it is; what it does; and why it’s important.
Much of the content has been based on human resources issues, including recruiting, retention, employee engagement, et al. While these are all worthy topics to explore and can impact your bottom line, there is a deeper and more crucial aspect to culture – your brand.
In the business world, brand is king, primarily because brands are what consumers buy. I don’t buy bottled water. I buy Smartwater. I don’t buy a car. I buy a Toyota.
This same sentiment holds true for almost everything you buy. We don’t ordinarily consider a public school district something we buy, but a school district’s brand is paramount in many ways.
When choosing a community to live in, the public school district is often a top consideration. How patrons view the school district brand is also the key to passing bond and levy issues. Home evaluations are calculated, in part, by things like school district ratings. The school district also affects community satisfaction surveys.
Getting your culture right is the best, fastest, and surest route to building a brand patrons admire and relate to.
Start by reviewing your culture with a culture study or something similar. Then, assess whether or not your culture is in alignment with your mission, vision, and core values. That alignment should lead you to a brand position that is an accurate reflection of your school district and what it stands for.
If you want to talk about school district culture, contact Rick Nobles at 913-484-0920 or rick@excellencek12.com. Conversations are always free.
