Analysis of Organisational Behaviour and Brand Culture Alignment

1. Olayimikah Soetan Bolo
Falkirk-Risk Consultants
http://falkirk-risk.com
The Wells Fargo Fraud
and Brand Culture
Disconnect

2. “Failure isn’t fatal, but failure to change might be”
John R. Wooden 1910 - 2010
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3. Introduction
The news of the Wells Fargo Fraud and emerging
details elicited an emotion of outrage in risk
professionals across the Globe.
However, whilst we all eagerly await “unfolding”
information that will shed more light on the actions
or inactions of the 2nd and 3rd Lines of Defence, it is
instructive to look inwards, stand back and take
stock of the organisational behaviours in our own
institutions.
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4. Brand Culture
Wikipedia defines Brand Culture as “a company
culture in which employees live to brand values, to
solve problems and make decisions internally, and
deliver a branded customer experience”.
Simply put, Brand Culture transforms the
inanimate to life! It is the stage when there is an
alignment between brand – how the company is
defined (this includes its values) and culture – how
employees do what they do (from top down).
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5. Brand Culture
In organizational behaviour, the corporate culture
is one that should actively encourage and mirror
the shared values and expected behaviors.
There will always be a disconnect where there is a
misalignment in the stated, understood, and
practiced value system in place.
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6. The Corporate Values Assessment Model
The “Corporate Values Assessment Model” is
linked with the Johari Window – a technique used
to deepen one’s understanding of relationships.
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7. Expanded 1Definitions for Quadrants
Arena: An area of common interest
Blind Spot: A tendency to ignore something
especially because it is difficult or
unpleasant; or an area in which
one fails to exercise judgment or
discrimination
Façade: A false, superficial, or artificial
appearance or effect
1Definitions from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary 6

8. The Quadrants – Q1
Q1 is The Brand Culture quadrant - The Arena.
This is where there is an alignment of understood
and practiced core values, with the corporate
brand.
In this quadrant, the organization has taken the
time to not only state the core values, but has also
translated the core values into expected behaviors
and embedded this into its performance (including
sales targets) and reward system through training,
frequent communication, and activities.
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9. The Quadrants – Q1
A caveat to the above description is the “façade”
situation created under this quadrant.
Here, the group of employees create a façade of
compliance, wanting to be “seen” as imbibing the
“right” risk management culture.
An example is the “allegations” by more than one
dismissed employee of Wells Fargo who
“whistleblew” on the fraud but were dismissed
illegally from the institution.
http://money.cnn.com/2016/09/21/investing/wells-fargo-fired-workers-
retaliation-fake-accounts/
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10. The Quadrants – Q2
Q2 is The Blind Spot quadrant.
Here, the organisation has stated, translated and is
constantly embedding the core values. However, a
conscious decision has been taken by an employee
or group of employees to place some or all of the
values on “the back burner”!
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11. The Quadrants – Q2 Examples
§ The employee or the group of employees who
choose(s) to compromise for personal gain.
Typically taking advantage of weaknesses
observed in controls and either “ambiguous”
performance metrics or “unrealistic” sales
targets.
This can occur at both junior and senior
management level of the company.
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12. The Quadrants – Q2 Examples
§ The group of employees who choose to “ignore”
observed control lapses, mostly for extrinsic
benefits, and respond with a “slap on the wrist” –
not dealing decisively with the root cause of the
control lapse.
This occurs at the senior management level of
the company.
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13. The Quadrants – Q3
Q3 is The Façade quadrant where the employee(s)
do(es) not fully buy-into the corporate values but
practice them nonetheless.
Although we prefer to be in the Q1 quadrant, Q3 is
less threatening to the organisation than Q2 and
Q4. However, ensuring the values are practiced
means there must be documented and monitored
processes in place.
There is an assumption that the formulated
processes are aligned with corporate values.
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14. The Quadrants – Q4
The Unknown quadrant, Q4 has examples of
employees that neither understand nor practice
the corporate values.
A large group of employees that fall under this
quadrant are the “unskilled” employees who
most companies tend to ignore at their own peril!
A low percentage (<10%) of employees or contract
staff as the case may be, practice the values
unintentionally because of some imbibed values
and/or practiced culture.
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15. Food for Thought
1. How committed is your company to building a
brand culture and reaping all its benefits?
http://adage.com/article/moo/major-benefits-a-
strong-brand-culture/303989/
2. Is your company taking the right steps in
building a strong brand culture?
http://www.liquidagency.com/wp-
content/uploads/2014/12/LA11_Article_LBS-
BrandCulture_R1.pdf
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16. Food for Thought
3. Does your company leadership “practice what is
preached”?
http://www.forbes.com/sites/georgebradt/2013
/04/10/practice-what-you-preach-or-pay-the-
price/#9b8a9226e033
4. Are your company policies and documented
processes in alignment with your corporate core
values?
http://www.jimcollins.com/article_topics/articles
/aligning-action.html
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17. Food for Thought
5. Do you have a documented and monitored
Customer Complaints Handling Procedure in
place for timely response to customer negative
experiences?
http://rocketpost.com/blog/the-steps-to-your-
brands-reputation-repair-part-2/#.V-p36TtLepo
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18. Thank you!