What are some of the key Fundamentals in Tekmetric's Culture Operating System?

1. **Adopt a Growth Mindset** - Be a lifelong learner. Seek out and take advantage of every opportunity to gain more knowledge, increase your skills, and become a greater expert. Accept new challenges and learn from them. Share what you’ve learned with others on the team if they can benefit too. 2. **Share the Why** - Before others can understand what to do or how to do it, they must first understand why. Explain the big picture. The more people understand the reason for what we’re doing, the more actively they can participate in the solution. 3. **Think Team First** - It’s about us, not about you. Don’t let your ego or personal agenda get in the way of doing what’s best for the team. Be there for each other and be willing to step into another role or help a co-worker when that’s what’s required for success. Help each other succeed. 4. **Drive Impact** - While effort is important, our customers expect results. Follow up on everything and take responsibility to ensure that tasks get completed. Set aggressive goals, use measurements to track your progress, and hold yourself accountable for achieving those results. 5. **Get Clear on Expectations** - Create clarity and avoid misunderstandings by discussing expectations upfront. Set expectations for others and ask when you’re not clear on what they expect of you. End all meetings with clarity about action items, responsibilities, and due dates. 6. **Take Ownership** - Take personal responsibility for making things happen and see them through completion. Respond to every situation by looking for how we can do it, rather than explaining why it can’t be done. If you see an opportunity to make us better, act on it. 7. **Practice Blameless Problem-Solving** - Demonstrate a relentless solution focus, rather than pointing fingers or dwelling on problems. Identify lessons learned and use those lessons to improve ourselves and our processes so we don’t make the same mistake twice. 8. **Make Data-Driven Decisions** - Make good decisions by relying primarily on facts and data, rather than solely on opinions or emotions. Be objective. Analyze the data and use this information to make better decisions. 9. **Take Intelligent Risks** - Innovation, improvement, and success don’t come from playing it safe. They come from a thoughtful and intentional willingness to try the unconventional and to ask “What if?” Try a new way. Think differently. 10. **Act with Integrity** - Demonstrate an unwavering commitment to doing the right thing in every action you take and in every decision you make, especially when no one’s looking. Always tell the truth, no matter the consequences. If you make a mistake, own up to it, apologize, and make it right. 11. **Share Information** - While we should be vigilant about protecting confidential information both internally and externally, share relevant information freely throughout our organization. The more people know, the better we can collaborate. 12. **Debate, Then Align** - Healthy, vigorous debate creates better solutions. Debate concepts without making personal attacks. Check your ego and push for the best solution, rather than your solution. Once a decision is made, however, get fully aligned by putting your complete support behind it.

What are the fundamental principles guiding Tekmetric employees?

13. **Do What’s Best for the Customer** - In all situations, do what’s best for the customer, even if it’s to our own short-term detriment... 24. **Keep Things Fun** - While our passion for excellence is real, remember that the world has bigger problems than the daily challenges that make up our work.

Creating an operating system for building company culture

Tekmetric’s leadership, led by CEO Sunil Patel, developed a culture operating system centered on 24 measurable and clearly defined Fundamentals aligned with their four core values—Focused, Reliable, Authentic, and Compassionate—to create a consistent, strategic company culture that guides daily behaviors, communication, and onboarding, fostering employee engagement and performance as the company scales.

Building a strong company culture is key to not only employee retention and satisfaction, but also performance. Tekmetric’s leadership team chose to go beyond company values to create a culture operating system.

"I believe culture can be our strategic advantage.” - Sunil Patel, CEO

The operating system is built around 24 Fundamentals, designed to complement Tekmetric’s four values: Focused, Reliable, Authentic, and Compassionate.

The Fundamentals are specific characteristics and actions that can be measured and practiced on a daily basis. The Tekmetric team collaborated closely to create the fundamentals, avoiding a top-down approach and ensuring buy-in from across the organization.

Karina Amanullah, Head of People and Culture, shared: “Everybody knows how to do each one of them. Even if they haven’t mastered them, they know what they are and there's no ambiguity. I think the most valuable piece is when you read them you understand exactly what type of company we want to be.”

Formalizing these fundamentals clarifies the kind of culture Tekmetric wants to build, how team members should communicate, and what the company believes in. Since the rollout in February, the Fundamentals have become part of the everyday work of each team at Tekmetric. Each week starts with an email from Founder and CEO Sunil Patel on his thoughts on the Fundamental of the week, which is also discussed in team meetings, leadership meetings, and during the monthly all-company meeting. New hires are introduced to them during onboarding. The Fundamentals are becoming part of the everyday vocabulary within the company.

“As we continue to grow and scale our company, consistent messaging and culture amongst our teammates and externally with customers is hard to preserve," said Patel. "I believe culture can be our strategic advantage.”

The Fundamentals

1.
Adopt a Growth Mindset
- Be a lifelong learner. Seek out and take advantage of every opportunity to gain more knowledge, increase your skills, and become a greater expert. Accept new challenges and learn from them. Share what you’ve learned with others on the team if they can benefit too.
2.
Share the Why
- Before others can understand what to do or how to do it, they must first understand why. Explain the big picture. The more people understand the reason for what we’re doing, the more actively they can participate in the solution.
3.
Think Team First
- It’s about us, not about you. Don’t let your ego or personal agenda get in the way of doing what’s best for the team. Be there for each other and be willing to step into another role or help a co-worker when that’s what’s required for success. Help each other succeed.
4.
Drive Impact
- While effort is important, our customers expect results. Follow up on everything and take responsibility to ensure that tasks get completed. Set aggressive goals, use measurements to track your progress, and hold yourself accountable for achieving those results.
5.
Get Clear on Expectations
- Create clarity and avoid misunderstandings by discussing expectations upfront. Set expectations for others and ask when you’re not clear on what they expect of you. End all meetings with clarity about action items, responsibilities, and due dates.
6.
Take Ownership
- Take personal responsibility for making things happen and see them through completion. Respond to every situation by looking for how we can do it, rather than explaining why it can’t be done. If you see an opportunity to make us better, act on it. Accidentally stepping on toes is inevitable and should always be forgiven; we're all on the same team.
7.
Practice Blameless Problem-Solving
- Demonstrate a relentless solution focus, rather than pointing fingers or dwelling on problems. Identify lessons learned and use those lessons to improve ourselves and our processes so we don’t make the same mistake twice. Get smarter with every mistake. Learn from every experience.
8.
Make Data-Driven Decisions
- Make good decisions by relying primarily on facts and data, rather than solely on opinions or emotions. Be objective. Analyze the data and use this information to make better decisions.
9.
Take Intelligent Risks
- Innovation, improvement, and success don’t come from playing it safe. They come from a thoughtful and intentional willingness to try the unconventional and to ask “What if?” Try a new way. Think differently.
10.
Act with Integrity
- Demonstrate an unwavering commitment to doing the right thing in every action you take and in every decision you make, especially when no one’s looking. Always tell the truth, no matter the consequences. If you make a mistake, own up to it, apologize, and make it right.
11.
Share Information
- While we should be vigilant about protecting confidential information both internally and externally, share relevant information freely throughout our organization. The more people know, the better we can collaborate. Learn to ask yourself, “Who else needs to know this?”
12.
Debate, Then Align
- Healthy, vigorous debate creates better solutions. Debate concepts without making personal attacks. Check your ego and push for the best solution, rather than your solution. Once a decision is made, however, get fully aligned by putting your complete support behind it.
13.
Do What’s Best for the Customer
- In all situations, do what’s best for the customer, even if it’s to our own short-term detriment. Understand our customers’ world. Know their challenges and frustrations. See the world from their perspective. Put their needs ahead of our own. There’s no greater way to build a reputation than to steadfastly do what’s right for others.
14.
Pay Attention to the Details
- Missing just one detail can have an enormous impact on everything that comes after it. Be a fanatic about accuracy and precision. The goal is to get things right, not simply to get them done. Double-check your work. Get the details right the first time.
15.
Be a Tekmetric Ambassador
- We’re all responsible for, and benefit from, our company’s image and reputation. Consider how your actions affect our collective reputation, and be a proud and positive representative of Tekmetric. Be someone you yourself would enjoy spending time with at a backyard barbecue.
16.
Listen Generously
- Listening is more than simply “not speaking.” Give others your undivided attention. Be present and engaged. Minimize distractions and let go of the need to agree or disagree. Suspend your judgment and be curious to know more, rather than jumping to conclusions. Above all, listen to understand.
17.
Speak Courageously
- Speak honestly in a way that helps to make progress. Say what you mean, and be willing to ask questions, share ideas, or raise issues that may cause conflict when it’s necessary for team success. Be courageous enough to say what needs to be said. Address issues directly with those who are involved or affected.
18.
Honor Commitments
- Do what you say you’re going to do when you say you’re going to do it. This includes being on time for all phone calls, appointments, meetings, and promises. If a commitment can’t be fulfilled, notify others early and agree on a new deliverable to be honored.
19.
Connect with Each Other
- Our relationships go deeper than simply being teammates at work. We spend a lot of time together, and we genuinely care for and about each other. Whether it’s a kind word during a tough stretch, a friendly smile each morning, or a helping hand in stressful times, show your compassion.
20.
Be a Fanatic About Response Time
- Respond to questions and concerns quickly, whether it’s in person, on the phone, or by email. This includes simply acknowledging that we got the question and we’re “on it,” as well as keeping those involved continuously updated on the status of outstanding issues.
21.
Show Meaningful Appreciation
- Recognizing people doing things right is more effective than pointing out when they do things wrong. Regularly extend meaningful acknowledgment and appreciation — in all directions throughout our organization.
22.
Make Healthy Choices
- Take care of yourself at home and at the office. Eat well, exercise, and get adequate sleep – take care of yourself so that you’ll thrive personally and professionally. Support each other in making healthy choices. To give your best, you must be at your best!
23.
“Bring It” Every Day
- Have a passion for what we do and be fully engaged. Make the most of each day by approaching every task with energy, focus, purpose, and enthusiasm. Put your best work and effort on the table. Work with a sense of urgency to get things done.
24.
Keep Things Fun
- While our passion for excellence is real, remember that the world has bigger problems than the daily challenges that make up our work. Stuff happens. Keep perspective. Don’t take things personally or take yourself too seriously. Remember that attitudes really are contagious – inject fun into what you and we do.