Discover the 5 steps to creating a strong company culture that can take your business from ordinary to extraordinary…
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Today’s culture in the work environment is important in finding and retaining happy, motivated employees. Creating respect both from the employees and for the leaders of the company builds a strong company culture, which ensures a cross functional team that is highly motivated to succeed.
Building a business where people want to work, are inspired to reach their highest achievements and challenged to grow both personally and professionally is key to a thriving and successful business. Morale, excitement and good leadership is important to the sustainability of ensuring a thriving culture in business.
5 Steps to Creating a Strong Company Culture
1. Compliments.
Everybody wants to be heard and feel important. Compliments can be simple or expanded upon with the reason why you are complimenting. It must be said with sincerity and meaning. This is not a pat on the back, rather it is an acknowledgement of something the person has contributed to make a difference. Employees can compliment and thank their superiors, supervisors and bosses. They too will gain a sense of accomplishment that their leadership is making an impact.
Challenge: try for a week to compliment a different person in your office/company and watch for any signs of a shift in how the overall feel of the environment changes for the better. Then, continue to use compliments as a normal part of your communication at work.
2. Vision.
A company will have a vision and possibly a mission statement. This can be the foundation from which the business grows and will be a success. Employees are an integral part of any success, they are the working parts of the larger machine. Aligning everyone with the same vision creates a culture of unity. But it is also critical to knowing and honoring an individual’s vision for themselves, both within the company structure and in their own lives.
Challenge: if you are a CEO, Manager, Owner of a company use a tool to determine if your employees know your vision and how they feel they are a part of that vision. You can expand this into gaining insight into what is important to them in relation to this vision. You may be surprised at what you find out and how you can use this information to take your company to a new level.
3. Leadership.
Listening to what is working and what is not working can prevent the destruction of a company or help it rise to its greatest potential. Everyone has an opinion, and among others’ thoughts there could be an ingenious idea. But, if leaders only believe that what they know (and how they think) is all there is, they are limiting themselves and the company. Being open to expansion through the receiving of something different than what has been (or is) status quo, will open doors of opportunities.
Challenge: Survey your employees about what they believe is working or not working. Then, schedule either group or individual meetings to further discuss what their thoughts are. They will feel a part of the company and not just another cog in the wheel.
4. Positive Reinforcement.
Offering ways for employees and leaders to have positive reinforcement helps with morale. Designing programs or ways for employees to gain personal and professional growth, whether it is in the form of individual coaching or group workshops, employees and leaders will gain a better understanding of themselves. This in turn will allow them to determine how their thinking and actions have an impact on the culture created by the company. As a general rule, there will be people who are negative, energy drainers and difficult.
Challenge: For a week just observe the actions of others, their interaction with each other and your own communication with the employees. Positive reinforcement can include pro-actively listening, creating a reward system that also helps the company or training for professional growth. Remember not to favor one employee over another and include everyone; there could be a diamond in the rough.
5. Mastermind.
Masterminding is when a group of people, 8-10, are working together to achieve the same result from challenges by sharing, offering advice and collaborating. You can create a group comprised of your top producers, high achievers, and those who have leadership qualities. Hold monthly meetings to discuss the company’s culture, vision and future.
After the group has met for a set period of time, then you assign each member to be a mentor for someone else in the company. The purpose is to encourage, enhance and improve those employees who don’t seem motivated, inspired or are unhappy.
Accountability, creating a sense of respect, allowing for expression and finding ways to develop a strong company culture that all employees and leaders are proud to be a part of, are key ingredients to building an exceptional business. Applying some of these principles now will take you and your business from ordinary to extraordinary.
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