I originally wrote this blog about the importance of culture on your teams a month ago — and boy, times have changed since then!
And while many of your team members are likely working remotely now given our current state of social distancing, living and breathing your culture is more important than ever to ensure the health and success of your workplace.
Whether you lead a Fortune 500 company or a smaller team within an organization, the way you think and act will always have a direct impact on the culture within your group. Companies and organizations are characterized by the micro behaviors of those within them and leaders stand at the helm with a tremendous amount of influence.
Our gender, race, socioeconomic status, age, backgrounds and religions all factor into and impact the culture of an organization.
To get people to behave and think the way you want, you will first have to see them for who they are.
Everyone, regardless of our differences, want to be seen, heard and feel important. One of the basic longings of every human is to be accepted and valued.
In addition to public speaking, I am a life coach on the side and one of my first tasks for my clients is for them to gain a better understanding of who they are and what makes them tick. You have to understand your own personality first if you hope to build a successful team and culture.
In his book, What You Do is Who You Are, author Ben Horowitz says, “Culture only works if the leader physically participates in and vocally champions it.” Most people, however, don’t have a clear definition of their culture values.
This week, give some thought to your core values and how they are impacting the culture or sub-culture of your team/organization.
