Nothing Changes if Nothing Changes...Your Culture is Waiting for You!
We define corporate culture as "a collection of the behaviors of the people in your organization."
By that definition, it is easy to understand how a major disruption in the workforce causes an equal disruption in your organization's culture. As employees must behave differently to adapt to new environments, the culture changes along with it. Every organization has a culture, some by design and others by default. During this unprecedented time, it is critical for us to intentionally direct and design the behaviors we want to see in our employees in order to create the culture we want for our organization.
The Culture Think Tank has gathered thousands of data points during the Covid-19 crisis to identify what leadership behaviors are moving the needle the fastest on culture. We have collected data since March of this year, working with organizations large and small that have been affected by this pandemic. The number one behavior employees continue to identify as the most critical one they need to see from leadership is:
Set Clear Expectations and Priorities for Us.
Most leaders reply to that feedback with "I AM setting clear expectations."
But the data does not indicate we are communicating those expectations clearly enough.
According to the Gallup organization, 76% of executives say their organization has a defined value system that is understood and well communicated. In contrast, 31% of employees believe their organization has a defined value system that is understood and well communicated. This gap is a good example of how leadership and employees often have different experiences about what is and is not clearly communicated.
Employees are still in search of better, clearer direction from leadership. Successful communication is about letting the employees know what is expected of them in their roles and in specific situations. Nothing changes if nothing changes. Employees are adjusting, but leaders can enhance their cultures by identifying the specific behaviors they want to see from their employees. Repeatedly.
When the behaviors we identify as "successful" are grounded in your organization's values, they stand a better chance of success. An organization's values, if correctly applied, drive the behavioral direction of the organization. When we tie the behaviors we want replicated to the values of the organization, we create a framework for our culture that fits. The leaders drive the values. The values drive the behaviors. The behaviors drive performance.
Once we identify the behaviors we want to see, the rest is a matter of using the following discipline to drive those behaviors home:
- Identify the behaviors you want to see. (Tie them to the values).
- Communicate those behaviors repeatedly. (Repetition and consistency are critical).
- Lead by example with those behaviors.
- Reward and recognize those behaviors.
That is how you will get behavioral change, hence how you will get a change in your culture. It is the consistency of supporting those behaviors as well as the repetitive communication that will begin to make the organization lean toward those desired behaviors.
Nothing changes if nothing changes. By putting a little something different into the culture mix, you can create great change within your culture.
