By Insigniam

minute read

“We are now one Time Inc.”

That is the message Joe Ripp, CEO of the global media company, delivered at the 2016 American Magazine Media Conference. Mr. Ripp is leading a push to reinvent the company’s culture to better compete in the 21st century digital world, according to Ad Age.

One way it is doing that is decidedly old school: giving all employees “culture cards” detailing the company’s mission, vision, strategy and brand manifesto. The back of the card lists “expected behaviors” at the new One Time Inc., which fall into four categories to spell out TIME: teamwork, innovate, motivate and execute.

Among the expected behaviors, the card encourages employees to foster new ideas, creativity and optimism; empower others through delegation; and take ownership and accountability.

“Unfortunately, telling people what the right thing to do is does not work. Prescribing the right action does not change behaviors. What drives behaviors is the context that we think inside of: the assumptions, beliefs and presuppositions that form the nonphysical setting. To cause any meaningful change, to invent and implement a powerful culture, that has to get revealed and unhooked.”

—Shideh Sedgh Bina, Insigniam founding partner and editor in chief of Insigniam Quarterly

It remains to be seen whether the culture card and its declarative aspirations can power success in the brave new media world—Time Inc.’s stock has continued a downward trend that began before the cards were distributed to employees in September.

“Unfortunately, telling people what the right thing to do is does not work,” Share on X says Shideh Sedgh Bina, Insigniam founding partner and editor in chief of Insigniam Quarterly. “Prescribing the right action does not change behaviors. What drives behaviors is the context that we think inside of: the assumptions, beliefs and presuppositions that form the nonphysical setting. To cause any meaningful change, to invent and implement a powerful culture, that has to get revealed and unhooked.”