4 ways to own and develop your organizational culture

by aaron lampkin - director, ticket sales at seattle sounders fc
May 09, 2019

Anytime I attend a conference, enter a college campus, or interview someone for a role, I am always asked about what the culture is like. I find myself becoming robotic and asking what does culture mean to you? The reality is that each person is culture, impacts culture, cultivates culture and the question should be how will you impact, cultivate, and be the example of the environment you want in the workplace? Today, l give you gold… solid gold… aka basic tips that will lead to positively impacting the environment around you on a daily basis.

Build a Foundation

By a show of hands... How many of you work in an environment that has a culture that has been set for what seems like 100 years, and it’s because “it’s just the way it is” (I promise you’re not the only one sitting in front of your computer with your hand in the air)? But WHY? Culture is not one-size-fits-all, it’s a living impact that breeds results, encouragement, competition, self-awareness and so much more. When building a foundation, we can’t put culture in a box.

Focus on building relationships with the people (teammate, colleague, etc…) you see everyday. Learn about their stories, and how to motivate them to be the best versions of themselves. As our dear friend Zig Ziglar said,

“The foundation stones for success are honesty, character, integrity, faith, love, and loyalty”

I know we’re all busy, but if you don’t take time to understand and identify your stones for success than you’re fulfilling a culture built on rocky ground ie; “it’s just the way it is”.

Understand your WHY!

Find ways to motivate yourself and execute on your passion. Start with the controllable aspects; work ethic, dedication, goal setting, and attitude. Set constant timelines to push yourself to accomplish those goals ie; by the age of… within (x) years… I want to be (y). One way to discover your why is to think about one of the most challenging times of your life and figure out what motivated you to overcome that situation. Next, think about your greatest success and what motivated you to achieve it. What you will find in both scenarios is that the WHY remains the same. Use that why to push you day in and day out. When your alarm clock goes off in the morning, you have two options; Wake up and start your day or hit snooze and go back to sleep. Now answer WHY you chose to get up!

Collaborate

Find ways to be a resource to every department. As you begin to think about career advancement and growing within your industry, one of the best ways to advance your career is to expand your skill set with different rigors of the organization. If marketing has an activation, how can you assist? Is it through mentioning it on every call, dedicating additional hours (for FREE), or helping to develop a campaign? Identify opportunities outside of your day-to-day focus to help grow the organization. Please note: This is in addition to your day-to-day focus, so first make sure your day-to-day is taken care of before adding more responsibility to your plate.

Multicultural Awareness

In sports, we have a very diverse group of individuals from different backgrounds to career ambitions, but we’re all working towards one common goal regardless of department. It’s important as you develop a living culture model, you take time to educate, understand, and empathize with those you interact with to maximize and identify opportunities, similarities, and creativity within the workplace. Commonly I hear about people being offended in such a diverse workplace. Don’t allow that to limit who you are or what you value, instead view it as an opportunity to embrace and provide understanding for those that may simply may not know.

In closing, it’s your career, your workplace, and most importantly your happiness. Don’t settle on status quo, instead demand excellence from yourself, your peers, and your mentors. Culture starts with understanding a sense of self, being understand, and willing to educate on your passions. #BecomingCulture

Aaron

Aaron Lampkin - Director of Ticket Sales for Seattle Sounders FC. In his current role, Lampkin oversees Premium & Suites, Group Experiences, New Memberships and the team’s Sales Academy Development program.

Prior to joining the Rave Green, he served as Manager of Membership Services for the Colorado Avalanche, where, during his tenure, he created an advisory committee allowing season ticket members a forum to speak and learn, while helping to provide a strong level of engagement for current and future season ticket members. During his time with Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, Lampkin has worked for the Colorado Rapids, Denver Nuggets, and Colorado Avalanche.

Originally from Spokane, Lampkin graduated from Johnson and Wales University in Denver, Colorado with a Bachelor of Science degree in sports, entertainment and event management.