Q. How do you initiate a
cultural change?
I took responsibility for a lot
of the things I felt weren’t up
to par. I said, ‘This is going to
change. This is the way we’re
going to do things going forward. Some of this is going to
sound kind of cultlike or
obsessive, but it’s what I
believe in. I’m not looking for
90 percent of the people’s support out there. I’m looking for
about 10 percent of the people’s support.
‘It’s going to be an uncomfortable feel for the rest of
those people. I want it to be
extremely rewarding for those
that do fit. If you don’t fit,
that’s not a problem. But we’re
going to look for a different
opportunity for you with a different company.’
It was a heartfelt and passionate speech. ‘Here’s where
we’re at, here’s where I see us
going, and here’s how we’re
going to get there. You’re going
to have to adopt these beliefs,
or you’re not going to go along
with us.’
Hopefully, it stirs a passion
in you for your work. It’s my
belief that work is an extremely important part of our lives.
If we fill a passion with it, it
improves every other aspect
of our lives.
Q. How can you stir that
passion in employees?
Try to establish that type of
culture in our business where
people are carrot-driven. Try
to have creative concepts in
the rewards. It goes back to
our culture of our people
being our No. 1 priority. It furthers your culture and the
acceptance of the corporate
culture and your core values.
It generates good ideas, gets
everybody involved and builds
morale. You have instantaneous acceptance of the decisions because the most popular ones were the ones that
were voted in.
It’s not a company that is
trying to be a good home for
everybody. What we want to
do is be a great home for a
few.
Individuals that are achieving a lot and those that are
really passionate about it,
nothing is more frustrating
and demoralizing for them
than to be getting rewarded at
the same level as somebody
sitting right next to them who
doesn’t have that same level
of passion and isn’t producing
the same quality of work.
We made it very open and
transparent that if you’re not
getting the job done and
you’re not buying off on it,
you’re not going to be with
us for long.
HOW TO REACH: Lasco Enterprises LLC, (713) 993-9800 or www.tastingroomwines.com
