Transcript
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Ralph: Have you ever wondered about some of the strange and unusual traditions that businesses follow?
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Why do certain companies insist on maintaining odd practices?
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that seem to defy logic.
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We'll stay tuned as we explore some fascinating, but bizarre business traditions, the reasons behind them and the lessons we can learn.
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You don't want to miss today's show.
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Welcome to our wacky Wednesday.
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show I'm so glad you chose to join us.
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I just want to thank you for listening and supporting the program.
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It's listeners and viewers like you that make this program possible.
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Today, we're diving into a fun topic.
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That's what we do on our wacky Wednesdays.
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And that is unusual business traditions.
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All companies develop their own unique cultures, but some organizations take it to surprising extremes.
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From wacky rituals to questionable policies, these eccentric corporate customs often leave outsiders scratching their heads.
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However, as odd as these traditions may seem, they are usually logical explanations and valuable takeaways behind the madness.
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It's another cold day in rainy day here on the farm, but the showers of today promise to green up our pastures.
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So the cows will be enjoying those luscious pastures soon.
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And before we get started, I want to remind you to subscribe to the show you do that at askralphpodcast.com
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.
You can also subscribe to our email list there because you don't want to miss tomorrow's show.
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There's only a few days left in a filing season and tomorrow to talk about how to file a tax extension.
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And don't forget, like I said, that tax filing deadline is just a few days away on Monday, April 15th.
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I also want to remind everyone that we are now releasing a video version yes you can see my beautiful face on our daily podcast on YouTube and rumble.
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The links are in the show notes, or you may simply search for the Ask Ralph Podcast on either platform and check out our show on video.
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We added that just a few days ago.
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Let's start as we always do with our relevant Bible verse and I had to dig deep for this one folks, and it might not be that relevant, but it's always good to start with the word.
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And this comes from the book of Proverbs chapter 16, verse eight.
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And it says this better, a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.
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Let's start with the tradition at the Japanese division of Nestle regarding their famous Kit-Kat bars in Japan.
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Kit-Kats have become a hugely popular good luck charm.
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For students taking exams.
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This stems from the fact that the name sounds similar to the Japanese phrase, kitto katsu, which translates to surely win as a result, Nestle decided to capitalize on this quirky superstition.
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By releasing specialized Kit-Kat flavors in Japan, every January and June.
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These coincide with major exam periods, the limited edition bars come in, unique flavors like, and I don't know about these folks, soy sauce, matcha green tea and baked potato.
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I don't know if I want a big potato Kit-Kat.
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They even have a kit kat specialty store in Japan.
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So, if you're in Japan, you might want to check these things out.
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And while this tradition may seem bizarre to Westerners.
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It was a brilliant marketing tactic that helped Nestle dominate the confectionary market in Japan.
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The key lesson to learn here is to understand cultural nuances and local customs.
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In order to connect with your target audience.
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So you can get a soy flavored Kit-Kat bar.
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I'm not sure I'd want to like that one.
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Let's move on to the second tradition.
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And that's Nike employee meetings.
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So here's another odd corporate ritual.
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The unique way.
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Nike employees signal approval at company meetings rather than clapping Nike staff, honk horns and click pistols.
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That fire rubber bands as a form of applause.
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This tradition was started by Nikki's flamboyant co-founder Phil Knight in the early days of the company.
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He's certainly a colorful guy.
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He wanted to create a lively atmosphere at corporate gatherings.
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I imagine honking horns and shooting off rubber bands is definitely a creative and lively atmosphere.
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What's the takeaway.
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The takeaway is this.
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Don't be afraid to inject creativity and energy into your company culture.
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Think outside the box for unique ways to motivate your team and get people excited about your brand's mission.
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That's the key folks build in some excitement about your brands mission.
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Let's talk about an unusual job perk at a business analytics firm.
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It's called SAS Institute, founder, James.
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Goodnight.
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that's an interesting name.
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Instituted an unlimited job security policy, promising employees that they never could be fired for poor performance.
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Yes.
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You heard me right.
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The policy promises employees.
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They never be fired for poor performance.
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The rationale was to reduce stress and encourage creative problem.
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Solvings.
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Now, while this approach may seem counter-intuitive, it's worked well for SAS Institute landed on a Fortune's best companies to work for for 22 consecutive years.
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What's the key lesson Ralph?.
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It's to trust and empower your people.
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Offer job security.
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Your team will repay you with loyalty, engagement and innovation.
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So those are three fascinating examples of bizarre corporate traditions and the insightful lessons behind them.
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While there are unusual.
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These customs reveal important principles about understanding your audience, building a lively company culture.
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and earning employees trust.
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So as I always do, I want to give you some action items.
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If you found any of these strange business, traditions stop provoking, here's some steps to apply what we learned and that's
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number one.
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Identify a quirky habit, ritual or policy at your company reflect on the root purpose.
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It serves.
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See if you can gain insights in to improve your business.
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I think that's a great plan.
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Number two, brainstorm creative ways to energize your team.
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And reinforce your brand identity, fun customs, engage employees and promote community.
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I believe that is a hundred percent accurate.
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And number three, examine your management style.
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Are you instilling a sense of job security?
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Employees need reassurance in order to take smart risks and innovate.
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You've got to build that culture.
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Number four challenges, assumptions.
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Sometimes unconventional approaches are highly effective.
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You don't want to be afraid to experiment with bold new ideas.
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Before we wrap up on remind all of our listeners to visit our podcast page, you do that at askralphpodcast.com there you can leave a review, share your thoughts, or even send us a message with questions for future episodes.
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Maybe you'll be able to share some of the quirky things that happen at your company.
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Make sure while you're there, you join our email list that you can get a daily reminder email.
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What we're talking about on the program.
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You can also schedule a consultation with me.
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If you want to discuss some specific financial circumstances.
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And here's the thing.
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I want you to share our program and share this episode.
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If you know someone who needs a laugh and you found this humorous, do me a favor and share it with them.
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That wraps up our look at some odd and enlightening business traditions.
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Hopefully you now have fresh perspective on audience targeting.
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Corporate culture and employee empowerment.
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Every company has its quirks.
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The key is using them strategically to enhance your business.
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Thanks for joining us today.
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If you found this episode interesting, again, don't forget to visit our website at askralphpodcast.com for more business tips and financial wisdom with a Christian perspective.
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Stay savvy out there friends.
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And may God bless you abundantly.
