Building a Successful Organisation Through Values and Culture

By Dr Ashleigh Moreland

Welcome to the Re-MIND Institute blog! In our latest podcast episode, my co-host David Masterton and I delve into the pivotal role that values and culture play in every aspect of our lives—whether in our families, workplaces, or personal relationships. This blog post aims to expand on those discussions, providing practical tools, scenarios, and tangible coaching elements to help you build a successful organisation grounded in strong values and a positive culture.

Understanding the Core of Culture

Culture is more than just a set of shared beliefs or mission statements. It’s the collective behaviour and interactions of individuals within an organisation. It reflects how we treat each other and the world around us. As we discussed in the podcast, culture is everyone’s responsibility, not just the leaders. It’s a living, breathing entity shaped by our everyday actions and decisions.

STEP 1: Conduct a Culture Audit (You can do this solo, or we can partner with you do it together!)

1. Assess Current Culture: Begin by observing and documenting the current state of your organisation’s culture. Look at everyday interactions, communication styles, and employee behaviours in detail.
2. Employee Feedback: Use formal avenues like anonymous surveys or focus groups to gather honest feedback from employees about the culture. What do they like? What needs improvement? You can also use informal avenues like casual conversations, and even looking honestly at the hard stuff - the infamous “grape vine”, reviews (especially of outgoing team members!) and searches in forums online.
3. Identify Gaps: Compare the current culture with the desired culture. Identify areas where there are significant gaps. It’s important not to shame or blame in the process - it is PURELY data gathering. If we don’t know the current status, there’s no way to bridge the gap!

Personal Wounds and Their Impact on Professional Relationships

One critical point we touched upon is how personal wounds affect professional relationships. Each of us brings our past experiences and personal traumas into the workplace. For example, if someone has a wound around feeling unworthy (eg - maybe their parents were not emotionally or physically present and they grew up believing they were never good enough or that they weren’t worthy of love), they might react defensively to feedback, perceiving it as a personal attack rather than constructive criticism.

Here’s what this could look like:

Imagine Sarah is a super valuable team member who contributes amazing ideas and is a valued asset to her workplace. However, she becomes withdrawn and defensive whenever her ideas aren’t chosen, and this behaviour creates a cold atmosphere in the workplace. This behaviour stems from a deep-seated belief that she is not good enough. Sarah isn’t TRYING to be an ice queen, and she isn’t being intentionally malicious, but the behaviour absolutely is impacting the workplace environment and culture, and it is up to the leaders of this organisation / team to address it for the collective benefit of all. To support Sarah(ALL team), leaders can:

1. Build Trust: Create a safe space for open communication. Regular check-ins can help team feel valued and heard.
2. Offer Support: Encourage team to attend personal development workshops or provide access to counselling services (we offer generic and bespoke workshops on a number of topics!). It doesn’t matter that the “wounding” that is impacting Sarah’s work performance and attitude occurred in her childhood, it is a part of who she is and how she survives in the world as an adult.
3. Hire and Manage Team Well: Uphold strong boundaries around values and culture, and be sure to include this in regular formal reviews. If someone is highly competent at their role, but their inter / intrapersonal skills are harmful to the work environment, it is YOUR responsibility to respond accordingly. If they are TALENT (aligned to the purpose, vision and mission, and committed to evolving personally and professionally with the organisation), and you want to invest in their personal development to retain them, we at Re-MIND Institute can help. If they are STAFF (not aligned to the purpose, vision and mission, not committed to growing and developing with the evolving direction of the organisation), it is best to formulate a plan to support their transition out of the role. Ensure all performance management is documented and in line with relevant policy.
4. Reflect and Adapt: Encourage self-awareness and reflection formally and informally. Learn how to frame communication in a way that is most likely to feel safe for the person receiving it, and invest in emotional intelligence development training for all leadership [explore our Rise and Thrive program - this is what it’s all about!!]! The return on this investment will be lifelong.

The Role of Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is crucial for both leaders and employees. Understanding our triggers and how our past influences our present behaviour can lead to healthier interactions. This self-awareness fosters a culture where individuals feel safe to express themselves and collaborate effectively.

Self-Awareness Exercises

1. Journaling: Encourage employees to maintain a journal where they reflect on their daily experiences and emotional reactions.
2. Mindfulness Practices: Incorporate mindfulness exercises, such as grounding into the body, starting meetings with a deep breath, and encouraging presence in the moment.
3. Feedback Loops: Create a culture of continuous feedback where employees are encouraged to give and receive feedback constructively, and ACTUALLY RESPOND to the feedback through change initiatives and ongoing conversation.

Honest Communication and Vulnerability

Honest communication, bridged with vulnerability, is essential for building trust and a supportive culture. Vulnerability allows us to connect on a deeper level and fosters an environment where everyone feels safe to share their true selves.

Here’s what this could look like:

Consider a team meeting where a project has failed to meet its deadline. Instead of placing blame, the team can:

1. Open Dialogue: Encourage each team member to share their perspective on what happened without fear of retribution. Everyone’s voice matters!
2. Identify Solutions: Collaboratively discuss what could have been done differently - think systems, processes, communication, decision making… - and what actions you can take (and WHEN!) to avoid similar issues in the future.
3. Support Each Other: Reinforce the idea that mistakes are opportunities for learning and growth, not just points of failure.

Transforming Toxic Environments

Not all workplaces are conducive to positive culture. Identifying and transforming toxic environments is essential for the well-being of employees and the success of the organisation. As we discussed, it’s crucial to recognise when you’re in shark-infested waters and take steps to either transform it or find new, safer waters.

Here’s what this could look like:

1. Recognise the Signs: Look for high turnover rates, low employee morale, lack of motivation or productivity, low buy-in to workplace initiatives, and frequent conflicts as indicators of a toxic environment.
2. Leadership Commitment: Ensure that leaders are committed to change and willing to model the desired behaviours, rather than take a “do as I say, not as I do” approach.
3. Training and Development: Provide training on effective communication, conflict resolution, and emotional intelligence. That’s where we come in!
4. Policy Changes: Implement policies that promote a healthy work-life balance, inclusivity, and respect for all employees.

The Power of Systems and Processes

Systems and processes can either support success or contribute to dysfunction. Having clear, supportive systems in place ensures that everyone knows what is expected of them and how to achieve it.

At Re-MIND Institute, I had a big emotional explosion after an intense period that ultimately became an assault on my nervous system. However, we had a significant breakthrough by debriefing using the technique above, and implementing some better processes. For example:

1. Personal Temperature Check: We acknowledge that we are all high performing people and have a lot on our plates as team at Re-MIND, as well as parents, partners, friends, and more! When things are going well in our lives, and we are firing on all cylinders, we can totally cope with the high demands of our roles - and WE LOVE IT! But, when things are bumpy in some aspect of our lives [business, yes - but even personal life! Sick kids, relational challenges, health crises… you name it…], and we don’t have the same emotional or mental capacity as usual, it’s important for us as a team to know so that we CAN live our values of love, authenticity, safety etc. We’ve agreed on a code that communicates a “handle with care” status, which lets the team know where we’re at, and invites them to support us in practical or emotional ways without having to divulge or unload personal information.
2. Communication Scripting: When someone is totally dysregulated, and they regress into their animalistic survival state, they don’t have the cognitive capacity to communicate what they need or uphold a healthy culture. This is simple human biology, not a character flaw! We discussed some warning signs that people may not be coping, and may not have the awareness of their dysregulation that they need to intervene. It is the person with the awareness who MUST be responsible for upholding the culture and values in any given moment - so we came up with some specific statements that felt safe for each of us to say, safe for each of us to receive, and communicated the message of “you’re supported, you’re safe, and everything is ok”. For example “It looks like you might be feeling overwhelmed at the moment. How can we help you right now?” This simple statement invites the person back into the moment, back into their body and helps them to regulate back to safety, as well as makes them feel seen, heard and understood.
3. Improved Processes: We identified that a huge source of overwhelm for our team was notification fatigue. Through debriefing our communication strategies, we were able to reduce unnecessary notifications and create a more psychologically safe space that honoured the executive function of each person, and ensured only those who were directly needing the communication were receiving it.

Values as Practical Guardrails

Values can NOT just be lofty ideals. To create an emotionally and psychologically safe work environment, they MUST be practical guardrails that guide behaviour and decision-making. It doesn’t mean that we get it right all the time, but when we don’t, we must take responsibility for it, debrief it, and develop strategies to learn from the shortfall. No one - even the CEO - is above this! Values help create a consistent and positive culture when everyone understands and commits to them.

My Big Tip - Defining and Living Your Values

1. Involve Everyone: When defining your organisation’s values, involve employees at all levels to ensure buy-in and relevance. It’s important to know what each value looks like and means to them, so they can know HOW to live by it.
2. Real-Life Examples: Use real-life examples to illustrate how values can be applied in everyday situations.
3. Regular Reviews: Regularly review and discuss values to ensure they remain relevant and are being upheld.

Rise and Thrive: Your Solution to Cultural Challenges

At Re-MIND Institute, we understand the challenges organisations face in building a positive culture, and we commit on a daily basis to doing the work required to living and upholding our values for a healthy work environment. Our Rise and Thrive program is designed to equip leaders and teams from all walks of life with the tools they need to foster a supportive and thriving environment. This 10-week program, developed by neurophysiologist and holistic health expert Dr Ashleigh Moreland, combines neuroscience, spirituality, and practical strategies to address nervous system dysregulation and promote emotional intelligence and authenticity.

Join the Heart-Centred Healing Hub

We also invite you to join our Heart-Centred Healing Hub on Facebook. This supportive community is a space where you can connect with like-minded individuals, share your experiences, and continue your journey towards personal and professional growth.

Conclusion

Building a successful organisation through values and culture requires intentional effort and commitment from everyone involved. By understanding the impact of personal wounds, fostering self-awareness, promoting honest communication, and implementing supportive systems, you can create an environment where everyone feels valued and empowered.

Tune in to our latest podcast episode, "Values and Culture: The Foundation of Successful Organisations," for more insights and practical advice. And remember, at Re-MIND Institute, we are here to support you every step of the way.

Ready to transform your workplace culture? Join our Rise and Thrive program and connect with our community on the Heart-Centred Healing Hub Facebook group today!