How to create a great culture in your organisation
3 things leaders can do to improve the culture in any organisation.
Culture is very important and it shapes every aspect of an organisation.
One way of defining culture is the unseen environment around us. To give an analogy; culture is what air is to humans or what water is to fish. It can be healthy, or unhealthy, and sometimes we're oblivious to the fact - until we've been removed from our environment altogether.
Have you ever experienced this? Maybe you've left a company, or fired a client, and in hindsight realised the negative effects of that inherited culture. Or you had a new employee join your organisation, only for them to suddenly quit because of a clash with an unexpected culture.
Whether we recognise it or not, every organisation has a culture. The question is, are you intentionally creating a great one? So that it helps, not inhibits your organisation moving forward.
You're here to accomplish things and make a positive impact. Toxic culture will impede those results, and that's bad for business. When your culture is at its best, your people will be more energised, more effective and more innovative. That's good for business!
A great culture doesn't just happen on its own. It's created. To help with that journey, here are 3 things leaders can do to improve the culture in any organisation:
Live and lead from your values
As a Business Coach, I've seen leaders complain about the culture in their own business. But the truth is, culture is set and shaped by leadership! That's the good news: you have the ability to shape the culture in your organisation today. It starts with your values.
John C Maxwell in his book Change Your World shares stories of everyday people who've changed the world around them. The winning strategy? Choosing positive values and living according to them. It's that simple.
As the old adage goes; people hear what you say, but they do what you do. If you want to create lasting change in your culture, choose positive values and live them out daily. That's how you change the culture around you - starting from the top leadership.
Cultivate relationships
Humans are social beings, not robots. The way we interact with others in workplace and outside of the workplace matters. Nothing drives culture more than our relationships with one another.
One study by Gallup found that having a best friend at work is a powerful predictor of workplace engagement.
When employees have positive affiliations with others in their team, they are more driven to take positive actions that benefit the organisation as a whole.
A two-year study at Google also concluded that 'psychological safety' was the #1 requirement of a healthy team. Think about that... Relationships are the safety net that enable us to take risks, without feeling insecure or embarrassed. This leads to more honest feedback, increase collaboration and innovation..
Respectful, polite interactions with others are a starting block for any good relationship. But beyond that, there are practical things leaders can do— such as organising social events or activities that foster relationship building.
Improve communications
Clear, open and consistent communication vital for having a great culture. Communication is all about shared understanding.
The truth is, you can’t over-communicate. As humans, we tend to forget things, get easily distracted and drift off course. As leaders, we need to recognise that communication isn't a one-way street, nor is it a one-time event. Communication is a daily process and it involves listening to others as much as it does talking.
Healthy communication looks like:
Openness and honesty
Encouragement
Clear expecations
Respectful candor
Healthy debate or disagreements (safe for dissent)
Unhealthy communication looks like:
Sarcasm (constant)
Cynicism
Gossip
Silent dissent
Avoiding disagreements
You can't rush or skip communication. Take time to develop communication skills within your organisation. Two books I recommend to start this process are No-Fail Communication by Michael Hyatt and Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson.
A quick-win for healthy communication is encouraging others. A Gallup survey found that employees who don’t feel recognised say they are twice as likely to quit in the next year. Giving honest, timely encouragement is a simple way you can make others feel appreciated and valued. Again, this has to be modelled by top leadership first.
Written by Lachlan Nicolson. Director of Leader Guide.
Related Reading: How do you attract and keep top talent?
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