If your company is in Midlife - that is, it is experiencing a crisis or a need for a reinvention, you might want to look to see if the following 10 C's are part of your corporate culture.

1. COLLABORATION:
Having a team mentality rather than a 'star' search. Different parts of the organization learn that they need one another to function. No one or no group tries to outshine the others.

2. COURAGE:
It's important to be able to 'fail' without fear. Most organizations forget that the way we learn best is by what isn't working. As an organization, it's also important to take calculated risks without knowing the outcome. Of course, these need to be monitored, but without courage to risk, no progress can be made.

3 CURIOSITY:

In Peter Senge's, "The Learning Organization"  we find encouragement for both individuals and organizations to be life-long learners. What is your organization exploring that is new?

4. CREATIVITY: 
Creativity can occur only in an environment that invites risk. It's vital for a company's growth to think differently. Sometimes that requires outside input, but often, it simply requires allowing the members to think 'outside the box' without fear of reprisal.

5. CUSTOMER-CENTEREDNESS:
Actually, I believe that when you treat employees with respect and allow their creativity, they are naturally respectful and helpful to the customer. Service flows easily in a learning organization.

6. Readiness for CHANGE:
Most people are held back by inertia. Seeing new possibilities and opportunities everywhere are attitudes worth cultivating. Practice change in small things so that everyone is ready for the larger changes. Just be sure you are not just changing for change sake - or to 'fix' a perceived problem.

7. CHANGE-AGENT CULTURE:
All employees or members are encouraged to be change-agents. There has to be adequate training in leadership skills that allows people to see a vision and enroll others in following it.

8. COMMITMENT:
In personal and in corporate life, a 'do whatever it takes" attitude is necessary to live a vision fully. Once a vision catches on, commitment usually follows easily. It cannot be coerced.

9. CONTROL OF SELF:
This is just another way of saying responsibility for one's own actions. We all need to be in charge of our own feelings, emotions and behaviors. And, we are not here to exert control over anyone else. An organization whose people are self-reliant will never need to resort to control tactics.

10. COMMUNITY MEMBERSHIP:
This reverts back to the first principle - that we are not in this alone. Community activities provide support as well as consolation and celebration for all of it's members. Work becomes empowering in an environment that fosters community.

Fostering all of these attitudes and behaviors is not something that takes place over night. It's an ongoing practice.

If you or your organization would like support in creating such an environment, you might just have found it. Come to http://www.tonilamotta.com and see how I or my staff can help you make your company's midlife an opportunity for transformation. By Dr. Toni LaMotta, The Midlife Mentor, International Keynote Speaker, #1 Best Selling Author, Cultural Change Consultant