Behavioral Building Blocks of Culture - The Desired Dozen

For many people, believing an organization can actually have a good culture is like believing in unicorns (that don’t exist) or winning the lottery (it can happen, but the odds are way against you). Many employees are often frustrated by their culture, with some describing their workplace as being dominated by negative and/or toxic colleagues and supervisors who are back-biting and manipulative. These types of cultures are never high performing.

For me, as for man of the people I have worked with, there could be nothing worse than being obligated in some way to work as an employee in a toxic culture or organization that has a bad culture. As I’ve discussed in previous blogs, toxic cultures are toxic to our overall health inside and outside of work.

By contrast, one of the biggest joys I experience is working with an organization that has a great culture. Great cultures are self-sustaining and the leadership is focused on making the culture even better than it currently is.

How do I know when I’m walking into a great culture? Here are some of the signs that jump out at me:

1. RECRUITMENT: EASY

The company has a waiting list of people they can hire when needed. The company doesn’t pay above the average wage for the geographic area – I’ve even seen some companies pay less. But those waiting in line know about the great culture and want to take any opportunity to be part of it.

2. TURNOVER: LOW

The first place I look is entry-level positions. I’ve seen senior executives (Baby Boomers) stay at a place of work for the paycheck and “mail in” their effort. Instead, I look for younger employees (Millennials) who have stayed 2 years or more. If that’s the case, the company likely has a strong culture.

3. LEADERSHIP: SECURE

Security means leadership looks at their job as maintaining the culture, growing employees, and helping others succeed. The success of others is never a threat and is considered evidence of leadership’s own success.

4. COMMUNICATION: DIRECT

A direct-communication culture requires people to speak directly with one another when issues arise. Gossip is simply not tolerated. When one employee speaks of another in a disparaging way without the disparaged employee being present, any member of the culture can encourage the gossiping employee to discuss the issue directly with the employee who was the subject of the gossip.

5. INFLUENCE: MATRIX

A culture matrix allows room for any employee to influence any other employee, regardless of title, position, or department. Leading people who report to you is easy. It is when you don’t have authority over others that leadership gets difficult. A great culture encourages collaboration and influence through a matrix, regardless of the organizational hierarchy.

6. CAUSE: CLEARLY ARTICULATED

A great culture must include members who understand how they are a part of something larger than themselves. They find their work meaningful because they believe they are doing something that changes the world or changes human experience in the world for the better.

7. RELATIONSHIPS: GENUINE AND PERSONAL

Genuine relationships is also an essential component of a great culture. Members of great cultures take a real interest in what is going on in the personal lives of others (i.e., milestones, important events, etc.).

8. FOCUS: PEOPLE COME BEFORE PROFIT OR TASKS

Employees must feel that they are an important component of the organization and its culture. They are not expendable. They do not feel like they are widgets to be replaced. To encourage this, leadership must create and continuously cultivate a culture that reinforces their employees’ needs to feel integral to the company’s success.

9. HAPPINESS: PRESENT, REAL, AND EVIDENT

A workplace with present, real, and evident happiness is people smiling and genuinely happy to be at work, doing what they are doing.

10. FEAR: ABSENT

Employees should not be afraid of speaking their mind about a policy or process. They should feel confident about approaching decision makers to make suggestions as necessary. Leadership should not observe hushed conversations or conversations being clipped when leaders walk into the room.

11. INFORMATION: FREE FLOWING

Employees aren’t surprised by leadership decisions – if they are included in the process. Memos, emails, and letters should serve to document next steps for processes that have already be discussed in teams and shared across the organization as necessary. Keep informing flowing to cultivate a great culture.

12. CHANGE: EMBRACED

Remember: People don’t fear change; they fear loss. Any issue that can be perceived as a loss for employees should be discussed and resolved so change can be embraced throughout the culture.

Please don’t be discouraged if you find yourself in a culture that has too few (or none!) of these desired behaviors. It’s never too late to be a catalyst in the culture you’re currently in. Involve others. Build a coalition. I have seen the most toxic cultures have sub-cultures which serve as havens from the overarching toxicity. There are potential lessons to learn in these enduring sub-cultures that can be applied across the organization.

Keep cultivating your culture!

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