Waer Systems
40% growth in 12 months by Leading Culture with CoreVals™ and Managing the Business with EOS®
It goes without saying that the first half of 2020 has been a trying time for businesses of all sizes, industries and geographies. Companies without a strong set of CoreVals™, Core Purpose™ or overall culture have seen the effects of this in their workplace & amongst stakeholders- virtual or not. When times are uncertain, from a global pandemic to a crumbling economy, it is more important than ever to ensure your employees feel secure & communication is aligned with the expectations set for all.
In early May, I received an email from David Snelson, Managing Director at Waer Systems, one of the most culturally successful businesses I know, and one in which I am an owner and founder. He was excited to share the state of our culture amidst the chaos brought on by COVID-19. But before I get to that, I want to take a look back at the history of Waer Systems and the establishment & continuity of their corporate culture.
Waer Systems is Born
In 1999 my brother Rod presented me with the opportunity to start a new company—a spin-off from his aerospace component distribution business with some brilliant logistical concepts at its core. Shortly after, Waer Systems was born! As a small team we built amazing software that has run mission critical supply chain operations for companies like Airbus and Bombardier. Together my brother and I rode the highs and lows of closing deals with billion dollar companies, raising millions of dollars in venture capital funding, managing boards of directors, struggling with cash flow, and all the other challenges of a small start-up.
We evolved as technology and markets changed, and in the last few years made a pivot to being a Built for Oracle NetSuite partner, specifically in the Warehouse Management space. With installations in many different industries globally, Waer Systems continues to add new customers at a rapid pace.
I joined Waer Systems after a stint working with another company where values and structure were nonexistent. When the management team asked the owner for direction, little was given. Because of these factors, it was easy to fail and hard to succeed because no one knew what attainment looked like. Noble initiatives to bring progress or success to the organization were criticized to the point that innovations were stifled. Without directions or goals, there were no ideal behaviors, conflict resolution, or overall purpose. Knowing that establishing core values and a core purpose would have helped the environment immensely, I was determined to bring my knowledge and passion for creating a strong corporate culture to this new venture, and I knew that the success of Waer Systems depended on it.
At Waer Systems, I started thinking a lot about the environment of a workplace. Not just the physical space, but something intangible that manifested in tangible results— happy employees, less turnover, more efficient teams. I thought back to my work on a farm in western England. I recalled that the most important precursor to a bountiful harvest came months before with the cultivation of the soil and the planting of the seeds. Cultivating the soil was a tending period that happened before the harvest. I saw firsthand that taking the time to nurture the soil had a direct correlation with the health and success of the crop.
From the disparate work experiences of my youth and early adulthood, I recalled that whether I was on a farm or in a conference room, the cultural environment made a direct impact on my satisfaction and success. I realized that taking this principle off of the farm and into the workplace could produce the same results. With this in mind, I thought about Waer Systems. I wanted to develop the culture so that we could reap lasting benefits in the future. What was interesting was that although we were a geographically diverse team, our core values and defined culture helped us operate effectively even though we were operating on three continents.
As a team, we developed what we called our Culture, Values and Behaviors:
Integrity
We act legally, ethically and responsibly
We make decisions in the interest of the long term
We keep our promises
Respect
We hold our colleagues, partners and customers in high regard
We are open about issues, plans, results and problems
We trust each other and are not shy of conflict-for-good
Commitment
We care and we go the extra mile
We are enthusiastic and maintain a positive attitude
We know what we have to do and we get on with it
Technical Excellence
We excel at what we do
We embrace learning, change and new activities
We design and install good product
A Decades-Long Dedication
Twenty years later, Waer Systems continues to flourish and many of our initial employees are still thriving with us. In fact, their current set of CoreVals™ is right on their website for all of our potential customers, employees and customers to see.
You may notice that these CoreVals™ are slightly different than those that were created two decades ago. A majority of the time when a company creates their CoreVals™, it is best practice to embrace & stick to them. However, in the instance of Waer Systems, there was a sizable pivot in business including overall structure and sales strategy, the hiring of a new director and staff turnover. You’ll notice that the new CoreVals™ closely resemble many of the original Cultures, Values and Behaviors that we created more than two decades ago, yet slightly less wordy.
Customer: We are customer focused -- We are a partner, we build long lasting relationships -- We aim to give our customers solutions that delight them.
Communication: Phone first, email second-- Speed of response matters -- Everyone should contribute and be heard, clearly and loudly.
Integrity: We are open and honest -- We strive to keep our promises.
Innovation: We learn and improve -- Everyone is empowered and expected to act -- We reflect and learn from our mistakes.
Wellbeing: We look after ourselves -- We look out for each other.
Fun: Laughter = Dopamine = Productivity -- We enjoy working in the team.
In addition to having a set of standards in which all of Waer Systems’ stakeholders are aligned, the leadership has continued to embrace their importance. When David reached out to me in early May, he shared that he made the last week of the month CoreVals™ week, every month, and created a dedicated Slack Channel dedicated specifically to these conversations. Here are some examples over a three day period:
Core Value: Wellbeing
Supporting Behaviour: We look out for each other
Since my start at WAER, Andy has always been reliable, responding to the many, many questions I have without complaint and is always timely. This has greatly helped when doing sales and communicating with customers, and great for informing marketing work. There’s been a lot to learn but it’s been good to know that our team is looking out for each other.
Core Value: Communication
I nominate Paul. Phone first, email second. Despite his very busy schedule he took the time to onboard me and has had to deal with my many basic questions about warehouses and the software. Big thanks to Stuart and Aneece too as we go into a new territory and establish new processes. Also, shoutout to David for the support and for being upfront and transparent regarding the company’s goals.
Core Value: Communication / Innovation
My first nomination is Dan. He has been there every step of the way, and every time that I have a call/code review with him I always get a unique perspective and always learn something new. He has been a mentor and takes time to explain even the simplest things. I appreciate your spirit.
Core Value: Fun
Supporting Behavior: We enjoy working in the team
Dave always has, and continues to be, a fantastic manager to me. He has taught me a huge amount over my time at Waer (with lots still to learn) and would you believe we have a lot of laughs in Accounts with them too! Dave cares about Waer and the people in it and I think it comes through in everything he does.
Where do you see your company in 20 years?
Though I am far removed from the daily operations of Waer Systems, this small glimpse into the culture that we implemented more than 20 years ago leaves me proud. If it weren’t for the precedent we set, the embracing of these values and the longevity of our stakeholders, these ideals could have easily fallen by the wayside. But, as you can see from the Slack Channel, the employees at Waer Systems not only love where they work, but why they work. According to David, culture is crucial because it is an agreement between members of the team that they will take deliberate actions to keep their culture robust. He also says that culture is the reason why everybody at Waer Systems knows to do the right thing instinctually. David also expounds that it is this positive culture in the company that also helps them attract some of the best people for their team.
By helping organizations thrive in truly valued cultures where employees are valued & feel like they are doing something meaningful, billions of dollars of value can be created on a global basis. And as David also informed me, that same month (April) was a record sales month for Waer Systems. Coincidence? I think not.
I recently sat down with David Snelson for the Culture Czars® Podcast to discuss keeping CoreVals™ alive at Waer systems and how it helps keep their team connected, drives productivity and helps them make better hiring decisions. You can listen to the Podcast here.