7 ways to foster a strong culture

Intrapreneurship: 7 Ways to Foster a Strong Culture

which one is your favorite?

Top leaders have to walk the talk

The best way to cultivate an environment where employees are genuinely motivated to go the extra mile is to lead by example. Role-modeling that begins at C-level will positively affect the way everyone in the organization works and it needs to begin with humility, transparency, teamwork and creating a safe environment for individuals to stretch for ambitious targets. Understand what is driving your teams and what is bothering them, then sit down and resolve the issues.

Set an ambitious target – move out of the comfort zone to achieve bigger things

Everyone enjoys performing at their best and having their work appreciated. A challenging target and the right sense of urgency is motivating as it is an opportunity to step up and stretch individual potential, whilst getting the best potential out for the company. Most people want to achieve something bigger and therefore it is fair to say, move out of the comfort zone to unleash the full potential. Key here is to create a safe environment where fear of personal failure does not stop people from aiming high and doing everything possible to achieve a challenging target. Focus needs to be on celebrating bravery to take balanced and calculated risks and forward thinking to find solutions.

Close the gap to customers

Creating a unique and positive client experience needs to be the top priority. Clients are the ones that we are ultimately working for and delivering excellent work to those clients not only delivers good employee satisfaction and profitability, it also provides a common focus and clear rule of thumb for the entire company. Remove hurdles and complex processes to unleash your teams ability to bring value to your clients.

Unleash your teams/employees expertise

Especially in an organization made up largely of subject-matter experts, it is imperative to empower employees to act like owners and solve problems directly. Recognizing true expertise, giving permission to find solutions to business critical issues and supplying transparency around the business scenario (such as financial commitments and achievements) creates an environment where experts are enabled and not limited by the business.

Get middle-management and the leaders on the closest to people on board

With the right support from leadership, people managers throughout the business can focus on bringing out the best in their own teams, celebrating good teamwork, mutual learning, transparency and simplicity. In addition, creating space for individuals at all levels to think out-of-the-box and not put limitations on their work ultimately delivers their maximum potential, which is a win for the individual as well as the company. Teamwork, wellbeing, creativity and empowerment are simply good for business. Every manager you develop from a follower to leader will pay off big time.

Let your people shine

Leaders who are confident enough to step aside and allow their people the space and visibility to be accountable for their own work reap the benefits of a team who delivers their best work with pride and would be able to run itself. The leader is enabled to shift focus away from detail and see the big picture, finding ways to add even more value and making sure they can continue developing themselves and all the people in the team. Devote yourself to your teams.

Keep positive focus

Placing emphasis on success and where you aspire the company to be is more motivating than the opposite approach. Celebrating individuals within the company who act heroically with great success, celebrating teams who worked very well together and celebrating leaders who are true role models as well as sharing a common view of areas where effort can be made to improve keeps the focus on all the people within the business who are making a big effort to do well – both for themselves and for the company.