The COR Framework is intended to serve as a model when forming the operational guidelines for steering the evolution of Organizational Culture. Once the Core Principles are established, each component of the framework supports and re-enforces the others. The questions in each section of the framework are a starting point for leadership to initiate the process. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list, but rather to stimulate a critical ongoing dialog. This discussion is central to informing and shaping the organizational culture and provides the basis for leadership and every member of the organization to have the resolve for ensuring that culture is aligned with and evolves in a manner consistent with the Core Principles.
Core Principles
The conduct of executive leadership sets the tone for any organization. Taking cues from leadership every member of the organization knows what’s important in how they perform their respective responsibilities. Clearly defined principles written down and broadly disseminated are a critical way for communicating what’s important and expected in terms how every facet of the business operates.
How does leadership as individuals want to be thought of in the world?
How does the executive team want the organization to be thought of in the world?
What legacy do they want to leave behind - individually and collectively?
How might the venture harm or improve society?
Consider other questions that you want to influence your legacy.
Product / Service
Critical decisions steering how product/service design, development and distribution takes shape are informed by the Core Principles. This part of the framework serves to guide how processes such as Human Centered Design, Agile (a product development methodology), etc. are conducted and as a rubric for assessing the deliverables produced as an output of these development methodologies ultimately leading to how these products/services reach and serve customers.
What guiding principles drive requirements, design, and development?
When doing customer discovery, how will you include a broad and inclusive set of people?
How will the product/service design process for the UX, data and algorithms include considerations of customers that are representative of the population at large and address aspects such as accessibility?
How will you identify, consider and potentially mitigate unintended uses of your product/service?
How will 3rd party technology be evaluated, selected and applied in a manner consistent with core principles?
What environmental considerations will be taken into account in product design and product/service deployment and maintenance?
Consider other principles that will guide how you develop product/services.
People & Human Resources
People are the organization. How they are treated, managed, rewarded, respected and informed impacts everything the company does. The Core Principles inform how important policy decisions are made and shape even the informal cultural norms that comprise all organizations. Outcomes of the questions and decisions formed in this part of the framework are durable over time yet leave sufficient flexibility for organizational leadership to modify and adjust them if/as necessary as new ideas, perspectives and information are acquired.
How do the founders envision the culture of the organization evolving over time?
How will hiring practices, compensation and performance assessment be representative of the population at large and consistent across the organization?
How will the organization react to situations that go badly or when mistakes are made and lessons learned be incorporated into future decision making?
What will occur if the founders make mistakes, do not perform in accordance with core principles, or behave in an unethical manner (bullying, harassment, dishonesty)?
How will corporate policies be established to assure adherence to principles and enable employees to confidentially and comfortably report concerns about decisions or actions that compromise the organization's core principles?
Consider other principles that will guide how you treat employees.
Operations & Governance
The distinction between the People and Human Resources and Operations and Governance (O&G) parts of the framework is how the Core Principles become manifested into the operating structure. This part of the framework shapes the legal structure of the organization (e.g. by-laws, operating agreements, etc.) and have a higher threshold for leadership to change if/as appropriate. Each part of the framework offers organizational leadership different tools and checks and balances to intentionally steer how the culture evolves.
What policies will be embedded into the operating agreements and other documents outlining the functions of the organization?
How will the incorporating agreements reflect the founder's core principles?
How will governance be periodically reviewed and verified against core principles?
How will standard accounting practices and triple bottom line (financial, social and environmental) performance be assessed?
How often and in what manner will internal communication occur with employees?
How and how often will employees be periodically surveyed to get their feedback on culture, operations, effectiveness, communications, new ideas, etc.?
How will the feedback loop with employees be closed?
Consider other principles that should be embedded into the legal structure of the organization.
External Alignment
Aligning the internal values (i.e. Core Principles) of your organization with external entities with whom you do business helps ensure those relationships are forged and develop with shared and mutually beneficial outcomes clearly identified. These relationships include customers, suppliers, channel partners and other entities engaged during the course of executing the mission of the organization.
How will the organization interact with external entities?
When interacting with third parties, how will their core principles be assessed and what processes will be defined to monitor ongoing adherence and enforcement in support of business agreements for security, privacy, and other defined issues?
When interacting with partners, how will their business objectives and principles be understood sufficiently to craft win-win agreements that adhere to both entities complementary principles?
For key partners, how will senior executives be designated and included in the process?