My Ideal Work #Culture

‘Culture’ is a word that has almost become a cliche’.  It is a buzzword used to distinguish mediocre organizations from great ones and is a mandatory addition to any discussion on leadership & management. It is also a topic I am interested in on various levels and a subject I have tried to understand better.

What exactly is culture? Is it the ping-pong table and the bean bag? Is it really beer on tap? How do the values of the founder(s) and the management team shape the value of an organization? How would you describe the culture of your organization? How do you create and foster it? While there are tons of questions surrounding culture, I have focused on my PERSONAL preference for the ‘ambiance’ or ‘vibe’ of an organization and isolated what my ideal culture might look like.

• Have a psychologically safe environment

There have been tons of research and articles (here’s one from Harvard Business Review) to suggest that a psychological safety at work can enable and foster high performance. Employees should be able to experiment and take risks but within a safe environment. This trust and ‘true’ team mentality allows people to think outside the box and leverage their true creative potential. This trust can also be expanded to the freedom of speaking your mind and even providing negative feedback.

Are you listening to your employees, not just your customers? Do you care about their views or do you think they’re dispensable? Are they allowed to try and fail? During meetings, who has the loudest voice - the one with the highest title/experience/salary or do people feel confident to be fully transparent about how they feel?

My ideal culture would be one where employees are trusted, guided and empowered, not micromanaged. As leaders, it is crucial to decide what is worth nitpicking and what’s not. Trying to do EVERYTHING at ANY pay grade is not sustainable.

• Focus on agility rather than hustling

Work can give you a ‘high’. I’ve experienced it and I’m sure many others have too. There is definitely a thrill when you come up with ideas and turn them into reality. Meeting important milestones and tough targets can be euphoric. I don’t think work should be a place you merely clock in and clock out - it has to be MORE. In today’s world, it is not practical to completely compartmentalize our personal & professional lives and have the perfect work-life balance. But I strongly believe this: While you NEED to put in the crazy hours when needed, it CANNOT be your way of life. There’s something wrong if your work schedule is insane, on a good day & bad and if you’re equally anxious for simple matters & emergencies. This New York Times article also reports on this phenomenon of obsessive workaholic tendencies.

As a company, what is your stance on this? Do you promote a #hustle lifestyle and expect your employees to be online 24-7? Do you consider overworking as performing well? Do you believe busy people are happier? Are your employees always anxious and on edge?

My ideal culture would be one where there is an understanding of priorities and urgency. There is alignment when #hustle is needed (and when it’s not!), a focus on agility and the ability to make changes fast. There is a consensus on what the ‘normal’ stress level is and what constitutes unusual circumstances.

One thing is for sure, culture isn’t a one-size-fits-all item. There are so many variables that go into the creation and adoption of culture within organizations. But being aware of our words & actions is an important step in making sure the culture we envision as leaders is the same culture we are actually building.

What would your ideal culture be like? I’d love to know your thoughts!