Here are ten tangible things you can do to help build an awesome work culture.
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10) Sense of cause at the heart of the company. Having a strong sense of why is important to cultivating a culture of teamwork. Only when all members of the team understand why they work in the first place will they truly buy in.
9) Sense of progress. Being the biggest or best at anything is incredibly difficult. It is important to track the wins along the way. Maybe the win is a revenue goal hit for the first time. Maybe it’s a new acquisition/merger/referral engine indicating business will grow. Celebrate as often as possible in order to establish a culture of progress.
8) Everything is temporary. “The bad news is nothing lasts forever. The good news is nothing lasts for ever.” Teams will experience ups and downs together, but those who expect and plan for downturns and upticks will build a better bond.
7) Work should have meaning. “It’s almost Friday, I can make it.” Work should be enjoyable. and if there is a strong sense of identity, you are much more likely to have an optimistic team.
6) Employees need to be comfortable saying, “I made a mistake,” or “I need help.” Empower your team to come to you only after they have already been empowered to solve a problem themselves!
5) No lying, hiding, faking. This one is easy. Think of Wells Fargo and the scandal of opening up all of the fake checking accounts. When staff are incentivized solely on one metric, and there is top down ethical fading, bad things happen.
4) Lead by example. When leaders make a choice to put people first, remarkable things happen. Parenting is a good example. Parents work tirelessly to give their children opportunities they themselves never had. A prodigal leader should recognize success is a vector of trust and safety.
3) Build relationships. Remembering details is key. Think of birthdays, anniversaries, loved one’s names. When communicating with staff, it's important they understand they belong.
2) Give feedback and recognition. When someone on the team publishes an article or completes extra coursework, I always make a point to recognize the individual at our next staff meeting. I’m trying to incentivize behavior moving the company in a positive direction,
1) Constructive criticism. Specifically when confronting an employee, I always make a point to separate work performance and character. I make it clear the feedback is work related and has nothing to do with their character. That way the staff member understands you care for their personal development as well as meeting goals.
