As we prepare to enter this new year, shiny with opportunity and untapped potential, we’d like to remind you that leaders set the stage. How you choose to act will influence the behavior of your executive team. That, in turn, impacts the culture of your entire organization. And as Peter Drucker once famously stated, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”
As the leader, what is the workplace culture you want to see? And does that mirror the workplace behaviors you allow to exist? The culture of your business is defined by the behaviors and attitudes you tolerate – not by those you promote.
This is a moment for vulnerability as you assess whether the culture you’ve fostered values collaboration, tenacity, creativity and kindness. Or, if it instead rewards competition ahead of collaboration, individual achievement ahead of team success, and unchecked professional drive ahead of strategic focus.
“Corporate culture matters. How management chooses to treat its people impacts everything – for better or worse. ”
Harvard Business Review reports that “a large and growing body of research on positive organizational psychology demonstrates that not only is a cut-throat environment harmful to productivity over time, but that a positive environment will lead to dramatic benefits for employers, employees, and the bottom line.” (Source)
Leaders, it’s up to you to exemplify people of peace in the workplace – those who offer hospitality, give their time, listen empathetically, and speak truth with a grace that is rooted in Christ’s abounding love. It is your lived example – not just the words you speak – that creates the culture of your workplace and gives employees permission to create margin so life and work can co-exist. And that dynamic is critical for a healthy organization.
Let 2022 be the year where intention replaces hurry within your company. Don’t forget: Chaos can't withstand relentless focus. Are your employees existing within a culture of trust or culture of directives? It’s your job to create clarity around the vision of the organization. From there, you must empower your teams "to do" as well as “to-don’t" – knowing that not all work leads to the same impact. Focus on intention; eliminate hurry.
Here are two ideas to consider:
Have you encouraged your teams to explore automation? Our most treasured and limited resource is time – we can never recover it or earn more of it. Tools like Todoist, RescueTime, and AskSunday can help you recover hours and mental capacity in your day.
Have you assessed the effectiveness of meeting schedules, the notorious time-waster in corporations? Set a new expectation that meetings cannot extend 30-minutes and must include an agenda + a recap of action items afterward. Need an incentive? This meeting cost calculator from Harvard Business Review should do it.
You are the champion of your workplace culture. As you approach a new year, reassess where you need to invest your energy so your organization can thrive. If you’re at a loss for how to move forward or how to address the gaps you discover, consider joining a Convene leadership group where you’ll have access to executive coaching and peer group support.