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The Happy Virus

We’ll preface this section with an unconventional source of wisdom for

business, the great Persian poet Haz:

The Happy Virus

I caught the happy virus last night

When I was out singing beneath the stars

It is remar!ably contagious " #o !iss me

In business there is no greater asset than an inspired culture #uch

environments create a Happy $irus that leads to optimized bottom lines and

thriving top"line growth Happy viruses that inltrate top"performing cultures

happen when strategy becomes manifested in the culture

%espite recent boo!s, articles, and decent debate over &ulture 'rumping

#trategy, this war of culture versus strategy is a one"sided and misguided

notion

(usiness cultures that have 'he Happy $irus do not e)ist in spite of strategy

 'he opposite point holds true $ibrant business cultures are a result of having

and manifesting a strategy that resonates within the organization and in the

mar!et &ulture does not e)ist without strategy

Ponder how cultures are built It is a three"step process of bringing an entity

into being that is as old as the human psyche: thought, word, and deed

*irst a thought is formed In business, the thought that births a venture

usually lls a mar!et need and is also aspirational +s #teve obs encouraged,

such thoughts need to have passion enough to -put a dent in the universe.

+ll businesses begin with thought 'hen, do your homewor!

 /ou put your vision0the thought0into words 'his is the strategic phase 'his

strategy provides a blueprint for building your business and crafting the right

!ind of culture that can birth and sustain a growing business

 'he !ind of culture you have is a result of how well you have manifested and

managed your strategy 'he deed phase becomes the culture itself

(ecause the lifecycle of business is dynamic, this three"part process0

thought, word, and deed0needs to be reviewed and adapted annually

&ulture, once established, can sustain a business that has lost touch of its

core strategic thrust for a short time &ulture cannot ma!e up for a lac! of

strategy

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 'he companies that !now that a vibrant culture is a result of a founding vision

and a smart, up"to"date strategy that becomes e)plicit and manifested into

the hearts and minds of its employees and the mar!et embody 'he Happy

$irus It’s contagious in the best way0and it’s the &12’s 3ob to ensure that

this benign and magnicent virus ta!e root #uch thin!ing has wor!ed for

luminaries such as 4ichard (ranson, 5a) %e Pree, +nita 4oddic!, and others

If you can put thought, word, and deed into a single focus and manifest your

strategy into a palpable culture, you can be a mar!et leader