3 Keys to build a Winning Culture

Culture is one of the keys to sustaining an organization. It is also one of the keys to get the organization to the next level. Culture is the secret sauce of all winning organizations. I had earlier written on 8 ways to build a winning culture you can check it here. 8 Ways to Build a Winning Culture

One book I liked recently on this topic is “The Culture Code” by Daniel Coyle. He had earlier written The Talent Code and The Little Book of Talent which are both great in their own way. He has done extensive research citing examples right from Navy Seals to Pixar among others. Here are the three keys to build a world class culture and put your organization into the stratosphere.

Safety – This has been mentioned in all books around team building. This is based on the Google project Aristotle which basically mentioned that the number one requirement for any employee to be totally engaged is a feeling of safety. This means they should be able to come to work and speak candidly on issues. They should be able to speak without fear of condemnation. So, the job of a leader is to create a nurturing environment where trust is fostered and friction is reduced. A good example on this is San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich who even after losing a close game ensured his team got over it quickly. He ensured the team processed the event without attacking anyone. This is like what Jim Collins said in Good to Great which is conduct autopsies without blame.

Vulnerability – As a leader this is all about being authentic. It is about freely admitting your mistakes and breaking the ice with your team. It is all about showing the team that imperfection is the name of the game. At an individual level Brene Brown’s Daring greatly is the best book on this topic. Leaders who show their true selves will lead better teams and build more resilient organizations. For example, the Brain Trust meetings in Pixar where everyone has the voice to speak up. For more on this topic check out Creativity by Ed Catmull. The workout principle in GE was another program along similar lines.

Purpose – We all know this at a visceral level but if you can relate the employee work to higher meaning they will enjoy the work more. This is first step towards more engagement. Identify values of the organizations and communicate that often. Ensure everyone on the payroll knows what their objectives are and connect them to the ultimate vision of the company.

The book obviously has multiple examples from all areas of life. It is well written and is worth a read.

The views expressed in this article are my own and do not represent my organization. Thanks for reading this post.