“Culture” is a buzzword that is often overused but poorly understood. Great leaders understand that culture constitutes the very glue that holds everyone together, gives the team purpose every day and shines a light for clients and customers alike, that you’re much more than just a company that provides a certain product or service.
Great leaders know that an investment in their business culture is the key to success.
The Relationship Between Leaders and Culture
All leaders cast a shadow. That is, they lead by example and have the power to set the tone in their teams. Finding your optimal performance as a leader puts you at the forefront of a team that is more likely to be engaged at work and motivated to find their own peak performance.
Establishing a strong connection between a leader and their team typically results in team members more willing to go the extra mile, remain loyal to the business through good times and bad and strive to consistently to exceed performance targets.
If you speak to your colleagues and contacts who have worked in a professional capacity for several years or more, there’s a good chance that they can point to great leaders they’ve worked with, and how their guidance, leadership capabilities, and conscious investment in a strong team culture inspired them to be their best.
A lack of investment in culture often comes from a number of key factors. Some leaders don’t understand what culture really is and why it’s important. They might also view it as a cost rather than an investment. We also tackle competing priorities in a fast-paced business world, an assumption that things are fine how they are, or a perceived lack of value in a strong culture. What can turn a good leader into a great one is how they find the time, motivation and resources to invest in making their business and team culture the best it can be.
Turning the Dial in your Business
It’s all well and good knowing what makes a great leader, and how they impact workplace culture, but how do you make improvements in your own business? Peak leadership performance involves leading by example – you set the precedent and drive the team culture you want to see. Ask your team what motivates them, what they want to see, what could be improved and what works well now. When they give you this feedback, really listen to what they have to say and outline how you’ll use their input to drive meaningful change. Giving your team this responsibility and a platform to have a real impact on the culture in which they work makes them just as accountable as you for culture as a whole. Having these conversations and building trust within the team to speak honestly about what is or is not working can be difficult. Consider how you approach this – it could be 1-1 coaching sessions, an anonymous survey to the team or bringing in a third-party facilitator to help manage this discussion.
What Now?
If you feel it’s the right time to make the investment in improving the culture of your business or upskill the leadership team, but are not sure where to start, the team at People and Partners Advisory are here to help. We work alongside you to make impactful change in your business and teams, unlocking their full potential. Call us today on +61 2 9093 1311 or contact us via the website.
