TDIndustries: Developing a corporate culture

TDIndustries (TDI) was a Texas-based company engaged in activities related to the construction industry. It was owned by its employees and no shareholder held more than 6% of the shares. It had a strong culture founded on the Servant Leadership philosophy and on trust. Five pillars had been established: Continuous improvement, Shared commitment, Continuous learning, Strategic planning and Diversity. The CEO believed that all of this created a powerful community of trusting partners and, consequently, led to satisfied customers and stable profits. TDI had been growing ever since it started in 1946. Currently it had some 1400 employees and reported results well above the industry average. Ever since Fortune magazine had started publishing its list of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" TDI had been among the top six. However, the future held certain threats and risks. In the short term there was the severe economic slowdown, but the main concern was the succession at the head of the company. The CEO and two other top managers were due to retire within the next three years.