The Foundation First Principle
"We're going to do this backwards."
That's how one CEO announced his decision to implement Supercharge before rolling out their chosen operating system. His leadership team was skeptical. They were eager to get the structure and accountability they knew they needed. Building culture first felt like a delay.
Eighteen months later, that same leadership team credits this "backwards" approach with their most successful business transformation ever.
The Foundation First Principle recognizes a simple truth that systems are only as strong as the culture that supports them. When you build culture first, the operating system becomes a tool that people eagerly adopt rather than a process they reluctantly follow.
Here's why this sequence creates superior outcomes:
Willing Adoption Over Reluctant Compliance: When people feel valued and connected to purpose before new systems arrive, they approach change as an opportunity rather than a threat. They become co-creators of the implementation rather than passive recipients.
Intrinsic Motivation Supports External Structure: Operating systems rely on accountability and measurement. When people are intrinsically motivated, these structures feel supportive rather than restrictive or stringent. The scorecard becomes a tool for growth measurement rather than a report card for judgment.
Trust Enables Transparency: Effective operating systems require honest communication about problems, failures, and challenges. This transparency only works when people trust that honesty will be met with support rather than punishment.
Engagement Drives Excellence: When people are deeply engaged, they improve it. [Note: Some operating systems consultants/implementers even suggest to not change the forms, despite your organization being different.] They identify better metrics, suggest process refinements, and hold themselves to higher standards than the system requires.
I worked with one startup that tried both approaches. Initially, they implemented EOS immediately upon discovering it. The results were mixed in that there were some improvements in focus and accountability but contrarily some significant resistance and cultural tension.
Two years later, they started over. This time, they spent two months on culture foundation work using Supercharge principles. They helped people discover their gifts, built trust within teams, and created shared understanding of company purpose. As one example, leadership developed a new language with questions not answers.
When they re-implemented an operating system, the difference was remarkable. People not only accepted the new structure, they embraced it by changing it to better suit their needs and new culture. They proactively suggested improvements, took ownership of outcomes, and held each other accountable with care rather than criticism.
The CEO reflected, "The first time, it felt like we were imposing a system on our people. The second time, it felt like we were giving them tools to achieve what they already wanted to accomplish."
The Practical Benefits Include:
Faster implementation (less resistance means quicker adoption)
Higher quality execution (engaged people execute better)
Continuous improvement (motivated people refine the system)
Better retention (people stay because they feel valued)
Sustainable results (intrinsic motivation lasts longer than external pressure)
The Foundation First Principle isn't about choosing culture over systems. It's about recognizing that great culture enables great systems, and that this sequence matters more than most leaders realize. Great systems do not create great cultures.
Next week: We'll explore how building trust before implementing tracking creates better accountability.
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