Good leaders advance a company’s financial goals consistently. Great leaders advance a company’s workplace culture consistently. Both contribute to the bottom line, but only one builds a workplace that is ignited from within by individuals who work seamlessly as a team...in good times and bad. Understanding the dynamics of a positive workplace culture – not to be confused with workplace engagement – and capitalizing on those dynamics … [Read more...]
Are the Best Workplace Cultures Really Pain Free?
We’re all a little preoccupied with our health at the moment. That makes sense... But leaders mustn’t lose sight of their organizational health. Now, more than ever, it’s imperative that your company culture remains robust. Some of the bandaid solutions you’ve been employing in the past are probably tattered, exposing systemic wounds and weaknesses. With most of your team working remotely, it’s an excellent time to do an in-depth … [Read more...]
How to Not Let Your Company’s Limiting Values Hold You Back
"There’s gold in them thar hills." – Mark Twain Did you know there’s gold dust scattered all through your company? So many leaders miss it, though, because they’re too busy digging for the big vein that will guarantee a lifetime of harmony, wealth, and success for their business. Stop digging and start thinking. Start thinking about the limiting values that have become an invisible barrier to your company’s success...start mining your … [Read more...]
COVID 19 Survey Tells the Tale of Changing Workplace Cultures
The Barrett Values Centre recently released the results of their assessment on how the pandemic has impacted the culture of our organizations. And while we try to preserve and reinvent our customer experience, the employee experience has taken an equal battering. COVID 19 has impacted our world in so many ways. Each of us has been personally touched in one way or another. Our routines have been disrupted, our priorities turned upside down, the … [Read more...]
How to Inspire a Winning Culture through Story
Tell me the facts and I’ll learn. Tell me the truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever. Native American proverb Can you tell your company’s story? When a candidate asks about your corporate culture during a job interview, do you hear yourself saying things like, “We believe in teamwork...innovation...exceptional customer service…” Blah. You’ve invested time and resources creating a winning … [Read more...]
5 Top Tips You Need to Know in order to Change Company Culture
You’ve been told a lie. As a result of this lie, you’ve let other priorities take over and you remain frustrated with your company culture. Coming to work isn’t the joyful experience you once anticipated. The lie is that culture is led from the top. Yes, the strategy for an organization’s culture should be designed by those with the best vision for the company, but we all know that doesn’t always happen. And it doesn’t mean that we have to … [Read more...]
Was Organizational Culture Key to Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” Movement?
"I have a dream…” Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know the source – and circumstances – of this iconic quote. August 28, 2020 marks the 57th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s address on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. He ignited his audience and set down a foundation for how his allies would engage in the civil rights movement. It’s important to consider how he ignited his followers, because it’s an … [Read more...]
Why are Workplace Culture Changes Failing? How to Avoid this Major Pitfall
Culture eats strategy for breakfast. We’ve all heard some variation of that cliché, haven’t we? Believe it or not, I’m glad there are clichés about workplace culture...because it means that leadership is taking the concept seriously. Culture has entered the lexicon of the corporate report card. It’s taken some time for industry thought-leaders to identify and quantify corporate culture. It was once a nebulous entity...something managers … [Read more...]
Why Motivating Your Employees Only Gets You Half Way There
Believe it or not, great leaders aren’t just good at knowing when to do something. They also know when to stop doing something. What do I mean? I mean that our sometimes slavish attention to motivating employees can prevent us from examining the demotivating behaviours we practice as leaders – we don’t take time to weed them out of our corporate culture. You’ve heard me talk about the limits of “motivational leadership” before… I … [Read more...]
The Next Evolution in Leadership – Will You Fit In?
Your leadership style is important during ordinary times. These days, though, your leadership strengths and weakness are being put to the test, aren’t they? You don’t have the benefit of bringing your team together in an office…workshops and training sessions are more challenging to conduct. With so many teams working remotely, leaders are grappling with ways to keep cohesion within and across departments – to effectively maintain and build … [Read more...]