CULTURE IN THE CONTEXT of its existence in organisations is one of the areas being covered in the Barbados’ Best Employers programme employee survey.
Jonathan Becker, an executive culture consultant at global research and consulting firm Great Place To Work, in a piece published on fortune.com, said there were a number of strategies companies could employ to ensure they had a certain culture, regardless of the personal preferences of individual leaders.
His advice was:
Sharpen the conversation: With executives who see “culture” and “values” as mushy. It is particularly critical for team members to speak with clear definitions, distinctions, and ties to business outcomes.
Build personal meaning: Try asking a culture-resistant executive about his or her own experience.
Make the business case for culture: You can bring it home by identifying specific initiatives and performance indicators in your own organisation that will be helped by greater trust.
Link to the main points: The root of many serious business challenges is the absence of trust in the culture.
Establish social proof: Visiting a respected company with a remarkable, palpable culture can inspire your leaders to dedicate themselves to similar efforts.
Make it a personal challenge: You will have to push through resistance, but stick with it.
Make the personal appeal: Never underestimate the power of looking someone in the eyes and speaking from the heart.
Paint an inspiring picture: If you believe it’ll work, then state your vision without qualification, caveat, or diminishment.
Tell stories: Find and share real, ground-level stories of what happens when the culture is strong and strategically aligned.
Invoke the golden rule: The day-to-day work experience of senior executives is insulated. They are protected from many of the routine frustrations of a low-trust culture. Build empathy. (SC)
