What are the best practices for building a positive culture for your team?

A mission/purpose is a company’s WHY; the reason they exist. Surprisingly many leaders struggle with articulating this clearly and to make the connection between the company’s purpose and the objectives of their team. Meaningful work is key to human motivation and knowing why we do what we do helps us prioritize the right things. Our values can be said to be our HOW. It is the deep-set beliefs that influence our mindsets and behaviors and shapes how things gets done, which ultimately becomes the culture. I recommend all leaders to spend time with their teams (offsite) to explore and connect with their WHY and their HOW; as individuals, teams, and as a company. You don’t want to leave these things to chance. Yet most leaders do…

Leaders are critical in role modelling or undermining the purpose and values of an organisation. Ensure these are translated into behaviours and scenarios people (especially those at the top) can talk through, debate and agree on ways of working, to align on what this looks like in practice. For example, how will our values guide approaches to welcoming new joiners, to advertising internal roles, even to adoption of key policies (are there different rules for those at the top vs everyone else?) To successfully embed and maintain a culture requires ongoing commitment, review, reinforcement, and constant improvement. Otherwise they simply become something that hangs on a wall - detached from the reality of organisational life.

It’s crucial to articulate a poignant 'why' that resonates deeply with donors, volunteers, and beneficiaries. Equally essential are the values, which become the ethical compass navigating the unique challenges nonprofits face: fund allocation, donor relations, and transparency. In a sector where trust is paramount, ensure clarity and sincerity in every declaration. It’s beneficial to periodically review these principles with feedback from all stakeholders. Celebrate moments where your mission has made tangible differences, reminding everyone of the collective purpose. Engage in open dialogues about values to ensure integrity is always at the forefront.

Self Awareness Unreasonable Hospitality to not just your customers but your team. Active Listening It is important to keep it simple and not overthink these things are never one size fits all.

Management scholar Edgar Schein once observed that organizational cultures have three levels: the things we see, the values we hold, and the assumptions we have about the market. The team we build and the things we do with that team are the first level, and the values and mission that define how we lead that team are the second. But our assumptions--about the market, about success, about leadership, about the world--are even important because they shape our values and mission. These assumptions can be so woven into how we think they're invisible to us. And for that reason, we rarely test them. So if we're not careful, our mission and values may be resting on core beliefs that are completely wrong.

A true learning culture can only exist when there is trust and a high degree of psychological safety in the team. Work environments where mistakes are looked upon as learning opportunities and people can speak freely without worrying about being punished, is foundational for a strong learning culture. Feedback is great when given with the best intentions; to help people learn and grow. Regretfully, some leaders mistake feedback culture with performance reviews, which does not serve the same purpose, nor have the same positive effect as well-intended, timely feedback. Having a learning culture is absolutely key to innovation and growth and starts with building a safe and trusting work environment where people feel it is safe to learn.

Inclusion is key. Having a North Star where everyone is a stakeholder in the success of the organization and are encouraged to celebrate successes of others while also giving teams the autonomy to address challenges as they arise.

Creating a psychologically safe and responsive work environment is essential for promoting diversity and inclusion. A goal oriented workplace that allows for a variety of work styles and adapts to the needs of individuals is more equitable than trying to add on adaptations to a singular model. Fostering input from colleagues, employees, and advocacy or working groups will enable designs that anticipate modification and are thus more flexible in nature, saving extraneous efforts in the long run.

Remember, you do not need to have all the answers. As a leader, your role is to ensure the team is engaging in the right conversations to discover the answers you may already have. Through this level of engagement and leadership, you will not only build trust, you will also create greater ownership of all decisions and solutions - even if they aren’t what you first expected.

If you do not know what you expect from your team, or if you cannot articulate it, they'll never meet expectations. Start with expectations, provide feedback, but also create a system where the team reports back. Too often team members try to solved challenges on their own thinking that to ask for help is admitting defeat. I want my team to come to me with their issues so we can think it through together. They know it's up to them to execute the solution, but they also know that I'll have their back if needed.

In my experience, inclusive conversations are key. After COVID so many teams were splintered, and people (more than ever before) started working in silos. Trust and Emotional Intelligence needs to a focus in practice and training. Be real with your teams. Tell them about the budget goals, vision, good things for the future and challenges - invite ideas. Encourage Cohorts for Managers who are rising and empower your teams to communicate effectively with a good meeting structure that works. Still having "working lunch meetings" - BOO! Stop those.

I've found that most people have a preferred communication style or method. Some of my team members prefer text messaging while others connect well on a phone call. I have found great value in understanding my people enough to use their preferred style when I need to connect with them directly and especially when we are working through particularly difficult issues. Knowing the various preferred communication styles of my team members allows me to also coach them on how best to connect with one another when communication conflicts arise. Statements like, "You might want to try sending a text to Jane if you aren't getting a response on email" have helped team members to create a much more effective communication environment.

A "Culture of Caring" Appreciation and Recognition are critical to building out a high-performing company culture. Wellbeing is another impactful component, as is open (easy) communication. If people don't think their company cares a little bit, they'll consistently be looking elsewhere. With macro trends like lagging RTW percentages and Gen Z workforce growth pushing company culture to the forefront, a smart company doubles down on their employee attraction/retention methodology.

Post-Pandemic, the interaction between Team Members and Team Leaders can no longer be transactional but must become relationship based. Team Leaders create this relationship-based work environment when they pay Attention to Team Members by: 1. Recognizing Team Members for achievements. 2. Providing meaningful & regular feedback. 3. Being present in every interaction. 4. Being a Positive Energizer in every interaction. 5. Being perpetually curious. 6. Celebrating small & big wins. Increased Attention to Team Members creates ? Increased Retention: Team Members are 87% less likely to quit. ? Improved Performance: Team Members giving discretionary effort. ? Greater Profitability: Team Members generate a 21% increase in profitability.

A positive culture and open communication is not code for accepting toxic and bad behavior. Don't be afraid to confront problems, set expectations, provide feedback and then remove someone who can't abide by the team culture.

Healthy team culture is is one where there is both support and understanding and an exchange of give and take! When you start with a foundation of trust you can be resilient even when your team is tested in uncertainty, or challenges. When you have a disagreement with a colleague. Ask yourself “what do they need from me in this moment.” Am I listening, considering the situation from their point of view, do we need to gain clarity. Push back if you see an opportunity that others don’t can make a team stronger as long as it’s purposeful and delivered with the teams best interest.