Creating the Organizational Culture You Want (and Need)

In last month’s newsletter our primary emphasis was on providing SMBs with a blueprint for measuring performance. Towards the end of the article, I included a critical insight: it’s not solely about what your team does; it’s equally important about how they approach their work.?

Organizational culture is an outcome of behaviors in the workplace, and organizations that consciously articulate, communicate, and integrate their expectations regarding ‘how’ people conduct their work and engage with one another will surpass their peers in shaping their desired corporate culture.???

In this edition, I aim to delve into the art of crafting and supporting a positive workplace culture. This challenge exists among organizations of all sizes and represents a key aspect of organizational development: the quest to establish workplaces that not only empower their people but also remain flexible, all the while ensuring that individual behaviors harmonize with the organization’s core values.?

Renowned Management Consultant and Author Peter Drucker famously said ‘Culture eats strategy for breakfast’ and his words still ring true. An empowered and positive culture can work wonders when it comes to achieving organizational success. No matter how many strategies you come up with, if they can’t be effectively implemented you aren’t going to succeed.?

Organizational culture is shaped by behaviors which, in turn, come about by way of our perceptions, attitudes, beliefs, and values. Let’s dive into each of these elements to gain a deeper understanding of how they influence workplace culture.??

Perceptions

Our perceptions form the foundation of our interactions with an organization and each other. They are the lens through which we see the world, and how we perceive our work environment, colleagues, and tasks, and can greatly impact our behaviors.??

Attitudes

Attitudes are emotional and mental orientations we bring to the workplace. They encompass our feelings about our jobs, our co-workers, our bosses, and the overall environment.? Positive attitudes can foster a culture of collaboration and enthusiasm, while negative attitudes can hinder progress and contribute to less-than-ideal work environments.

Beliefs

We all have convictions that we hold close about what is important to us, what is true, what is right. These beliefs play a crucial role in guiding our behaviors. Deeply held convictions can be a driving force in shaping the culture of an organization.?

Values?

Values are the core principles that help guide our actions and decisions. They represent the non-negotiable aspects of our character and define who we are as a person. In an organization, values represent what the company sees as its guiding principles, and the alignment of values amongst employees with the organization’s mission and values is pivotal in establishing a consistent and strong workplace culture.?

Perceptions, attitudes, beliefs, and values are all puzzle pieces that work together to create organizational culture, both good and bad. Where things go astray is when organizations fail to proactively, and fully, integrate these aspects into their people programs and other organizational activities and then are faced with having to try to change a culture that has evolved on its' own. It’s not that business leaders aren’t thinking about culture; they are. It’s just that often they are unsure how to actively shape a culture or how to course-correct if needed.??

Intentions are good, but there must be follow through and modeling in order to create the culture you want.? Toxic workplaces emerge when specific behaviors are allowed to thrive due to the absence of clear expectations and lack of repercussions. Over time, these toxic behaviors become ingrained and normalized and, ultimately, harder to fix.?

Organizations can proactively and thoughtfully build the workplace cultures they want by following these steps:

1. Define Your Company Values - clearly defining your core values that represent your guiding principles?
2. Lead by Example - leadership sets the tone.?
3. Transparent Communication - promote this at all levels; this fosters trust and ensures everyone is on the same page.
4. Involve Employees in Shaping the Culture - encouraging input and feedback gains greater buy-in and support for culture initiatives.
5. Recognition and Rewards - recognize and reward behaviors that align with your desired culture goals.?
6. Performance - Include the ‘how’ in your performance coaching - measure your team on how they uphold the company’s values.?

If you’re in the unfortunate situation of having to course-correct, here are some steps you can take:

1. Identify the Issues: what specific behaviors and/or practices are contributing to a poor culture??
2. Assess Leadership: are leaders modeling poor behaviors? The shift will need to start here.?
3. Transparent Communication - communicate the need for change to all staff. Be clear about specific behaviors that need to change.
4. Accountability - hold people accountable for their actions, and ensure there are consequences for those who are not willing to change.
5. Training and Development - depending on the issue(s), sometimes training can be of benefit. Consider diversity training, harassment and bullying, or conflict resolution.?
6. Reinforce - recognize and reward those who adopt the new culture and highlight positive examples and success stories.
7. Feedback Mechanisms - track progress and make necessary adjustments based on employee feedback.?

Whether your organization finds itself at one end or the other of the culture spectrum, there are concrete steps you can take to help take your organization where you want it to go. In our next issue, I’ll delve deeper into the strategies and practical steps for implementing culture initiatives in your organization, including specific take-aways you can start with right away.?