The General Perspective: 'Cultivating Culture' with Guest Giotto Enterprises

by Sara Warner

Herkimer College was honored to have Mark Cushman and Christie Rutigliano from Giotto Enterprises as part of the Cultivating Culture professional workshop held on Wednesday, February 15. Cushman serves as the company’s vice president of organizational development and Rutigliano is its talent acquisition and employee experience specialist.  

A manufacturing company, Giotto Enterprises is based in Oriskany, New York, and is comprised of seven companies united. It is most notable for its contribution to the fiber optics industry. 

According to Cushman, there are four key steps for culture cultivation. The first step is to list the values that the organization should have. Some values may include transparency, trust, passion, and integrity among others. 

Cushman says that an organization’s values should not change whether someone is watching or not, adding, “Brand and culture go hand in hand.”  

The second step is to explore concepts such as the history of the organization, its employees, the system and processes, and its leadership. For example, does the leadership portray the same values as the organization? Are employees rewarded in some way, such as recognition for those who have worked there for twenty years? Do employees exhibit the same values that the organization has? 

According to Cushman, employees can have a big impact on company culture. “It only takes one little dip to taint a culture.” 

One of the reasons Cushman believes Herkimer College and Giotto Enterprises are so successful is because both are cautious about when, what, and how they add to the culture, as well as knowing their strengths and weaknesses. 

“If you know what your culture is, it allows you to be more vigilant,” Cushman added. 

He explained that if an organization knows its values, it is easier to know the type of employee it wants to attract. Those that do not exhibit the same values as the organization may hinder its growth. 

After exploring the concepts from step two, step three should be a group assessment of each concept where the group comes to a consensus on whether it aligns with the company’s values. Step four is defining a plan of action for those values.  

Areas that should be defined include the goals of the organization, the core values that shape it, how those values will be shown and reinforced within the organization, and what reward system should there be for those who add to the organization’s culture. 

This advice is not just good for those who want to start a business, but also for those who are looking for employment. Cushman suggested seeing if a company is in alignment with its value by whether it is socially conscious, who its competitors are, what the board of directors looks like, and do they display their values when involved in the community. A good company will share its success with employees. 

Rutigliano provided interviewing advice, such as asking the interviewer questions about the organization’s mission statement and its level of involvement in the community.

Cushman added one last tip, “Don’t be afraid to sell yourself.”

Cultivating Culture is part of Herkimer College’s Professional Development Workshop series, presented by the College’s Career Services department. The next workshop is Civil Service Strategies on Monday, March 6, which is free and open to the public.

The General Perspective is blog series authored by the 'Generals Street Team' — student employees of the Public Relations department.