A few key takeaways:

• In your business, don’t only think about what you do or how you do it, think about WHY.
• Think about your people, what are the behaviours you what them to exhibit – what are the core values and principles you want everyone to abide by?
• Find a way to articulate it, but be careful not to focus too much on perfecting the words or sentences – find multiple ways to describe it in order for it to be truly understood rather than it being understood by people memorising and reciting the same words like robots.
• Beware of the communication/marketing of your DNA – avoid merchandise overload as it could well undermine your DNA.
• Look at your leaders – Do they realise it is their job to ensure that they are role models for your DNA? Is their main focus ensuring that the people align to the DNA on a daily basis? When they make their decisions, are they aligned to the DNA?
• Leaders at every level need to ensure that the DNA is embedded in order to sustain it as the business grows, they have to share that passion for why and fully embody the behaviours.
• Remember though that people are human and are imperfect; things can be misinterpreted, or people sometimes slip up – it important to call out anything that hasn’t been aligned to the DNA, address it with the individual(s) concerned and learn lessons from it. But its important then to forgive the mistake and move on (unless is become a systemic problem which needs addressing).
• It sounds harsh but don’t retain talent, no matter how brilliant they are, if they are detrimental to your DNA – you need everyone aligned to have a cohesive business.