Organizational Culture Archives - CHCI

Embracing Value-Based Leadership for Organizational Resilience

admin — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 03:56:40 +0000

In today’s post-pandemic business world, organizations are steering through novel challenges. Amid this climate, the critical role of effective leadership is paramount. One effective approach is value-based leadership, which is a model of using a fundamental system of organizational core values to govern operations, rather than just meeting deadlines or hitting targets.

In this blog, we outline the six reasons why value-based leadership is crucial in today’s volatile business environment and provide actionable advice on implementing these principles in your organization.

1. Building Trust through Authenticity

Trust, earned through consistent and transparent conduct, plays a pivotal role in fostering commitment and loyalty among teams, boosting organizational credibility, and resonating with the public.

Actionable Advice: Keep communications transparent and hold regular, open meetings. Reflect your words in your actions, and when you falter, acknowledge and learn from your mistakes.

2. Offering Clear Direction

Leaders who resolutely uphold their organizational core values provide their teams with a clear path and maintain focus on shared organizational objectives, even amid external distractions or pressures.

Actionable Advice: Clearly define your organization’s goals and frequently communicate them to ensure team members understand their roles in achieving them.

3. Fostering Resilience and Adaptability

Value-based leaders demonstrate a blend of adaptability and resilience, crucial traits in positioning an organization for survival and long-term success.

Actionable Advice: Encourage a growth mindset by promoting a culture that sees challenges as learning opportunities. One practical starting point could be a mentorship program that connects seasoned team members with newcomers.

4. Inspiring Employee Engagement

Leaders who prioritize their team’s well-being and align with the broader organizational mission motivate and engage employees, enhancing productivity, even in challenging situations.

Actionable Advice: Regularly acknowledge your team’s efforts and recognize instances where they’ve displayed the company’s core values. This validation can have a powerful motivating effect.

5. Championing Ethical Decision-Making

Turbulent times often bring ethical dilemmas into sharp focus. Leaders anchored in strong values can more effectively navigate these challenges, ensuring their decisions align with the best interests of their team and the organization.

Actionable Advice: Develop an organizational code of ethics reflecting your core values to serve as a decision-making guide. This code should clearly state your mission, values, and the expected conduct within the organization. Regularly hold discussions around hypothetical ethical scenarios, using the code as a guide for responses. By doing so, you embed the importance of ethical alignment in daily decision-making.

6. Encouraging a Long-Term Perspective

Organizations often find themselves in a tug-of-war between short-term objectives and long-term, sustainable growth. While immediate gains might be appealing, it’s crucial to keep sight of the bigger picture.

Actionable Advice: Integrate value-aligned goals into your strategic planning, balancing immediate targets with long-term aspirations. Emphasize the concept of sustainability, which refers not just to environmental considerations, but also to the capacity for enduring success. The idea is to strive for decisions that contribute positively to your organization’s future trajectory, not just for short-term gains.

Transitioning toward value-based leadership demands commitment, patience, and courage, yet the benefits are substantial. By fostering resilience, prioritizing ethical decision-making, and maintaining a long-term perspective, leaders can prepare for any challenges ahead, transforming them into opportunities for growth.

As we navigate the complexities of the post-pandemic landscape, value-based leadership evolves from being a tool to a vital strategy. We invite you to share your experiences, insights, or queries about value-based leadership. How have you incorporated value-based leadership in your organization? How has it impacted your decision-making and strategic planning during these uncertain times? Leave a comment below, send us an email, or connect with us on Twitter.

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Harnessing Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Model for Organizational Success

admin — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 04:07:09 +0000

As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, organizations engage with a diverse array of cultures. This expansion, while offering immense opportunities, also presents unique challenges, particularly in understanding and navigating cultural differences. These differences, if not managed effectively, can become roadblocks to international success. Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Model serves as a critical tool for organizations to successfully operate in the global arena. By harnessing the power of Hofstede’s model, organizations can gain a strategic edge, successfully traversing the complex cultural landscapes of the global business environment

Decoding Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Model

To begin, let’s delve into the theoretical underpinnings of Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Model. Developed by renowned Dutch social psychologist Geert Hofstede, this model provides a comprehensive framework for understanding cultural differences, identifying six dimensions that describe a culture:

Power Distance Index (PDI): This dimension measures the degree to which less powerful members of organizations and institutions accept and expect power to be distributed .
Individualism vs. Collectivism (IDV): This dimension explores the extent to which individuals in a society are integrated into groups.
Masculinity vs. Femininity (MAS): This dimension examines the distribution of roles between genders in a society.
Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI): This dimension expresses the level of discomfort members of a society feel with uncertainty and ambiguity.
Long-Term Orientation vs. Short-Term Normative Orientation (LTO): This dimension describes how societies balance maintaining links with their past while dealing with the challenges of the present and future.
Indulgence vs. Restraint (IVR): This dimension is related to the extent to which societies allow gratification of basic human drives related to enjoying life and having fun.

The Significance of Hofstede’s Model for Organizations

Hofstede’s Model provides a systematic framework for understanding and comparing cultural norms and values, equipping organizations with the knowledge to comprehend the cultural contexts in which they operate. This understanding is crucial in developing strategies that are culturally sensitive and effective, thereby avoiding misunderstandings, conflicts, and failures that can arise from cultural differences.

Now that you understand the model, how do you use it? Let’s explore best practices for applying the model:

Training and Development: To design culturally appropriate training programs, start by conducting cultural assessments to understand the dominant cultural dimensions within your organization. Tailor the content and delivery methods to align with the cultural values and preferences of employees. For example, if your organization has a high Power Distance Index (PDI), incorporate hierarchical structures and authority figures in training materials.
Leadership and Coaching: Adapting leadership styles to the cultural context is essential for effective leadership. Leaders should invest time in understanding the cultural dimensions of their team members and adapt their communication and decision-making processes accordingly. For instance, leaders operating in cultures with high Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) should provide clear guidelines and structured approaches to minimize uncertainty.
Employee Engagement: To develop engagement strategies that resonate with the cultural values of employees, foster an inclusive and participatory culture. Encourage open communication, active listening, and recognition of diverse perspectives. Adapt recognition and rewards programs to acknowledge cultural preferences. For example, in collectivist cultures (high on the Individualism vs. Collectivism dimension), consider team-based incentives rather than individual rewards.
Diversity and Inclusion: Build a culture that celebrates and embraces diversity. Establish diverse hiring practices, ensuring representation from various cultural backgrounds. Encourage cross-cultural collaboration and create platforms for employees to share their cultural experiences and perspectives.

Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Model is not just a theoretical construct; it’s a practical tool that can be leveraged by organizations to navigate the complex cultural landscapes of the global business environment. By understanding and effectively applying this model, organizations can foster a more inclusive work environment, design culturally sensitive strategies, and achieve greater success in their international ventures.

How is your organization currently addressing cultural differences? Could Hofstede’s Model provide new insights and strategies to enhance your organization’s cross-cultural competence and effectiveness? Leave a comment below, send us an email, or connect with us on Twitter.

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Developing Resilience, Tenacity, and Grit

admin — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 04:55:49 +0000

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration deemed stress a “hazard of the workplace”. Estimates put the cost of stress at $190 billion a year in annual healthcare bills. And it’s not isolated to specific industries – the problem is widespread. Sixty-five percent of adults say that work is the source of their significant stress.

Stressful situations often result in stressful thoughts. For example, when your teenage daughter is barely speaking to you, you may automatically think, “I am a bad parent.” Likewise, a setback at work may trigger thoughts like, “If I continue like this, I will soon get fired.” Thoughts like these often result in increased stress.

Importance of Resilience, Tenacity and Grit

To combat this ever-present stress, resilience, tenacity, and grit are vital. Webster’s Dictionary defines resilience as an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change. Oxford Dictionary says resilience is the ability of people or things to feel better quickly after something unpleasant, such as shock or injury. In other words, resilience is a person’s ability to bounce back.

Tenacity is the mental strength to resist opposition. It is the quality of staying determined. Persevering when the going gets tough and sticking to a project, task, or deadline while figuring out adjustments to perform more effectively.

Grit complements the traits of resilience and tenacity, adding ‘guts’ or courage, and ‘initiative or intention’. It addresses the longer-term goals and learning. So, where tenacity and resilience apply to everyday tasks and fortitude, grit extends perseverance to the idea of working at something day after day, through setbacks and failures, to reach a distant but personally important goal.

Critical Components of Grit

The two critical components of grit are passion and perseverance.

Passion comes from intrinsic interest in your craft and from a sense of purpose—the conviction that your work is meaningful and helps others.

Perseverance takes the form of resilience in the face of adversity as well as unwavering devotion to continuous improvement. The kind of single-minded determination that characterizes the grittiest individuals requires a clearly aligned hierarchy of goals.

What would such a hierarchy look like?

At the bottom would be specific tasks on the short-term to-do list, such as meetings. These low-level goals are a means to an end, helping the leaders accomplish mid-level goals.
At the top would be a goal that is abstract, broad, and important—such as increasing workforce engagement and improving the culture of the organization. This overarching goal gives meaning and direction to everything a gritty individual does.

Building Resilience, Tenacity and Grit in Your Organization

One of the best ways of building resilience, tenacity, and grit in your organization is by promoting a growth mindset.

Source: Fixed v. Growth Mindset. “Mindset” by Carol Dweck | Medium |

A growth mindset is a set of beliefs that shape how you make sense of the world and yourself. It influences how you think, feel, and behave in any given situation. People with a growth mindset see failure as an opportunity to grow. They see challenges as a path toward growth and let their effort and attitude determine their abilities. They are inspired by the success of their team members and take feedback as a constructive way of improvement. Leaders with a growth mindset put growth first and unite the business goals around it. They back the risk-takers, knowing there is a possibility of failure.

Effective leaders develop a “gritty culture” of constant learning and growth. Here are a few tips to build a “gritty culture” in your organization:

Make organizational goals clear and direct
Ask for commitment from your team
Share your own stories where you persevered
Showcase failure as an opportunity to learn
Reward stretch goals, where an employee had to stretch to achieve the goal

Have you worked with a colleague or leader who promotes resilience, tenacity, and grit? How did it affect you and the organization?

Let’s share experiences. Leave a comment below, send me an email, or find me on Twitter.

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A Deeper Look at Cultural Awareness in the Workplace

admin — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 09:55:54 +0000

Working in Africa taught me the importance of understanding cultural norms. I was managing a Kenyan hotel with 400 international guests over the Christmas holiday. We had arranged it all: fireworks, an African choir to sing carols, and Santa arriving on a camel. Yet, I failed my guests and my team by not bothering to pay attention to cultural nuances. How? Despite my team urgently asking why I hadn’t ordered Christmas Crackers for the dinner, I thought it was no big deal. After all, fireworks are much more impressive, right? Maybe they are impressive, but the cultural importance of Christmas Crackers was more important. And by ignoring the Crackers, I faced hundreds of angry guests, and a disgruntled team.

The hospitality business definitely offers a crash course on handling cultural differences with acute sensitivity. It takes background research, listening skills (link), and empathy (link) to successfully host people from other cultures. The traditional business world faces similar situations, where cultural differences can cause a multitude of misunderstandings and frustrations on international teams or on teams with international co-workers.

The Benefits of Workplace Cultural Awareness Extend Beyond “Getting Along”

The benefits of being culturally aware are innumerable, and with the global economy, intercultural teams are becoming the norm. SHRM Foundation reports, “At a very basic level, culturally appropriate communication and nonverbal business etiquette are essential to success in running international teams or engaging in negotiations with foreign firms.”

Being aware of the common differences between cultures increases trust, improves work relationships and streamlines projects. It also improves communication, which is the backbone to any successful team. When coworkers are curious enough about each other to learn about cultural similarities and differences, and treat one another’s differences with respect, the positive effect on engagement is powerful.

A client asked me to speak on cultural awareness, with a focus on their international offices in the United Kingdom, United States, China, India and Sweden. I used Geert Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory as a framework for building a greater understanding between the different cultures in their organization.

The Cultural Dimensions Theory Gives In-Depth Insight into Cultural Differences

The Cultural Dimensions Theory is a result of social psychologist Geert Hofstede’s six-year worldwide survey of employee values. By surveying 50 countries and three regions, he was able to identify differences in cultures in six primary dimensions. These dimensions address four anthropological problem areas that national societies handle differently. They are:

Ways of coping with reality
Ways of coping with uncertainty
Relationship of the individual with her or his primary group
Emotional implications of having been born as a girl or as a boy

The six dimensions that address these four anthropological problem areas are fascinating once you start researching them. The dimensions are:

Power Distance
Uncertainty Avoidance
Individualism/Collectivism
Masculinity/Femininity
Long-/Short-Term Orientation
Indulgence/Restraint.

Different cultures were evaluated to determine where they fall on the spectrum, between high and low, of each dimension. Below are the basics of each dimension, and where the United Kingdom, United States, China, India and Sweden fall on the spectrum.

1. Power Distance (PDI)

Cultures that score high on the power distance index accept a hierarchical order in which everybody has a place. Those with low power distance index scores strive to equalize the distribution of power and demand justification for inequalities of power.

Looking at the chart below, we see that the U.S. and the U.K. scored evenly at 40, indicating a low power distance. In the U.K. it is generally believed that inequalities should be minimized, and in the U.S., we like to say, “liberty and justice for all.” China scores high on the power distance index at 80, with India close at 77, meaning inequalities among people are accepted and superior/subordinate relationships are highly polarized. Sweden scores the lowest at 31, where employees are expected to be consulted, control is disliked, and hierarchy is used for convenience only.

2. Individualism versus Collectivism (IDV)

A tendency toward individualism shows a preference for a loosely knit social framework, while a more collectivist culture has a tightly knit framework. An easy way to think of this dimension is “me versus we.”

Our chart shows again a similarity between the U.S. (89) and U.K. (91), both scoring high in individualism. People in the U.K. are highly individual and private; happiness is sought through personal fulfillment. In the U.S., people are expected to look out for themselves and not rely heavily on authority for support. China scores the lowest at 20, making them it a more collectivist society where people act in the interest of the group rather than themselves. India is midrange at 48, both individualistic and collectivist. In India, actions are influenced by opinion of family, neighbors and colleagues. They are generally loyal employees and experience almost familial protection from employers. At 71, Sweden is a more individualistic society, where there is a preference for a loosely knit social framework. Swedish individuals are expected to take care of themselves and immediate family, and the employee/employer contract is based on mutual advantage.

3. Masculinity versus Femininity (MAS)

A more masculine culture has a preference in society for achievement, heroism, assertiveness and material rewards for success, while a more feminine culture prefers cooperation, modesty, caring for the weak and quality of life. This dimension can appear sexist at times.

Both China and the United Kingdom scored highest in this dimension at 66, making them a masculine society. Both cultures are success oriented and goal driven. In China, leisure time is not a priority. India is slightly more feminine as a culture, but still on the masculine side at 56. That can be seen in how there is a visual display of success and power, yet spirituality reigns in people. Sweden is extremely feminine, with a score of five. Work-life balance is very important, as well as consensus.

4. Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI)

Scoring high on the uncertainty avoidance index signifies a culture that maintains rigid codes of belief and behavior and is intolerant of unorthodox behavior and ideas. Low scoring societies maintain a more relaxed attitude in which practice counts more than principles. Questions to ask yourself here may be, “How does a particular culture embrace the unexpected or unknown? Are they open to ambiguity?”

None of the countries mentioned in this article scored high on the uncertainty avoidance index. The U.S. scored highest at 46, but maintains that new ideas are generally accepted and having a lot of rules is disliked. Next down is India at 40, where nothing has to be perfect or go as planned. People in India are comfortable with established roles/routines; rules are just in place to be circumvented. The U.K. (30) and Sweden (29) scored closely. In the U.K. they are generally happy to “take things as they come” and are amenable to changing plans as they go along. Hofstede says, “In societies exhibiting low UAI like Sweden, people believe there should be no more rules than are necessary and if they are ambiguous or do not work they should be abandoned or changed. Schedules are flexible, hard work is undertaken when necessary but not for its own sake, precision and punctuality do not come naturally, innovation is not seen as threatening.”

5. Long Term Orientation versus Short Term Normative Orientation (LTO)

Societies that lean toward long-term orientation take a pragmatic approach. They encourage thrift and efforts in modern education as a way to prepare for the future. Short-term normative orientation societies prefer to maintain time-honored traditions and norms while viewing societal change with suspicion.

China scored the highest in this category at 87. Chinese culture is pragmatic and able to adapt traditions. They have a strong desire to save and invest, and the truth is not set in stone, but rather dependent on the situation, context and time. India and the U.K. both scored 51, and Sweden scored 53, meaning the dominant preference cannot be determined. The U.S. scored relatively low at 26, where businesses measure performance on a short-term basis with quarterly P&L statements. There is also a strong idea of what is “good” and “evil” in the U.S. culture.

6. Indulgence versus Restraint (IND)

More indulgent societies allow relatively free gratification of human drives related to enjoying life and having fun. Societies that lean toward restraint suppress gratification of needs and regulates that by means of strict social norms.

Sweden scored the highest in this dimension at 78, making it a dominantly indulgent culture. They are willing to realize impulses and desires with regard to enjoying life and having fun. They also tend toward optimism, and value leisure time. The U.K. (69) and U.S. (68) scored similarly, indicating a tendency toward indulgence. In the U.S. we like to say, “work hard, play hard, “which is an example of a more indulgent frame of mind. The U.K. tends toward optimism, values leisure time immensely, and is willing to realize impulses and desires. China (24) and India (26) both lean toward restraint, where there is little to no emphasis on leisure.

Hofstede says, “It’s important to remember that cultural dimensions don’t exist in real life. They are only a way of understanding a very complex world. They are a framework for making sense of differences. We can use them as long as they are practically meaningful. As such, the dimensions help us understand that what happens in one particular culture does not necessarily happen in another.” Also remember that this theory is about cultural groups and not individuals, who can vary widely from each other despite sharing a culture.

He also points out that the base of all cultural understanding is curiosity. Try to find out different things about your colleagues from a different culture. Geography, music, history and/or literature is a great place to start.

Let’s share experiences. Leave a comment below, send me an email, or find me on Twitter.

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Creating Workplace Culture That Actually Works

admin — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 11:17:35 +0000

Workplace culture often seems like some sort of abstract concept. We think, ‘Oh to build a great culture at work, we have to create something that mimics Apple’ or some other hot, tech company. In reality, building a dynamic work culture is much simpler, based on how the organization’s values, attitude and behavior manifest daily in person to person exchanges.

A recent article in Ragan cited twelve workplace characteristics that will have employees packing their bags and updating their LinkedIn profile as they look for a new job. When you go through the list, you’ll likely be walking down memory lane, recalling situations in previous jobs, or perhaps even your current, where the atmosphere was stifling.

To avoid this type of attrition, let’s focus on three lessons learned:

Leadership is key. Let’s face it, we mimic our surroundings. If we’re new on the job, and not in a leadership positions, we often observe and copy the behaviors of others around us. Leadership is key in setting the standard, and clarifying expectations throughout the organization.
What’s the real issue? Many employees bring you the symptom of a problem that they want you to solve. Your job as a manager is to dig deeper and find the real issue, by asking questions such as, “What’s underneath all this?” or “What’s the most important issue we need to look at now?”. Once the employee sees the real issues, help them tie it back to its impact on the team and organization. This will then start to create real change.
Structure enhances productivity and networking will aid efforts. Your colleagues are bright and good at what they do. However, what do they do? If you don’t know, it’s time to find out. Help every employee create a LinkedIn profile and encourage them to connect through the company page. Why is this important? When you’re trying to figure out who handles media inquiries, it’ll only take two minutes instead of an hour!

Simple habits build success. Take a look around your work; where do you see yourself succeeding? Start with what’s working and expand from there. What can you work on next?

Let’s share experiences. Leave a comment below, send me an email, or find me on Twitter.

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4 Steps to Maintain Organizational Culture with Freelancers

admin — Thu, 18 Jun 2020 11:18:57 +0000

Organizational culture is crucial in creating a workplace where employees can work together as a team and contribute to furthering the company’s values and vision. Maintaining that culture in a shared office space is one thing…but when your freelance employees are scattered all over the country, maybe even the globe, that’s a different story. This management challenge is what I like to call “The Big Whopper.”

What do I mean about the “Big Whopper”? First, take a look at the following common scenario as it relates to freelance workers and organizational culture.

CHALLENGE: THE FREELANCE EMPLOYEE DOES NOT FIT IN WITH THE ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE.

Freelancer’s Perspective: I freelance for a large corporation in Midtown Manhattan. They invited me to a party to celebrate a company milestone (I have no idea what it was) so I thought I should at least pop by for a few minutes. When I walked in, everyone was in corporate attire. I’d been running errands all day in my jeans and a bulky sweater, and was carrying a few shopping bags. No one was engaging me in conversation, so I just had a few cocktails, made some jokes with the Intern (he’s the only one I really communicate with there) and took off. Those people really need to lighten up!

Manager’s Perspective: We sent out a company-wide invitation to celebrate an important moment in our corporate history. We’d finally broken ground to build a water purification plant for a community that had been drinking increasingly contaminated river water. As an organization, we take our work seriously and believe that if we work as a team with integrity, we can change the world. When my freelance employee, Rebecca, showed up to our celebration honoring six years of hard work coming to fruition, she was not dressed appropriately. She seemed to only come by to have a drink, gossip with our intern, and head out to finish her shopping. The fact that her attitude and behavior didn’t mesh with our organizational culture really stood out. Did I hire the right person?

How could the scenario have been prevented with effective management? Here are four steps that will help maintain organizational culture with freelance workers.

Maintain Organizational Culture When Managing

Freelance Employees with These 4 Steps

Step 1: Organizational Culture Starts with You

Like many management challenges, maintaining organizational culture with freelance employees starts with you. You have to model the desired culture through your actions, behavior and communication style. Make sure that you are dialed in to the organization’s values and vision, and use that as a backbone for all of your freelance worker interactions. If you don’t know what your company stands for, how will your freelancers know?

Step 2: Keep Organizational Culture in Mind During the Hiring Process

When going through the hiring process, always keep your company’s vision and values in mind. If your organization values teamwork, hiring a very independent freelancer may not be a good fit. When looking at potential freelance candidates, don’t just look for matching skills and experience. Be sure to include questions that will gauge if they are a good cultural fit as well.

Step 3: Take Time to Integrate Your Freelance Employee into the Organization

Just because your freelance worker isn’t physically in the office does not mean that they don’t need the same thoughtful onboarding that you give in-house employees. Since freelancers work remotely, you can’t shuttle them around from introduction to introduction with an orientation packet in their hands; however, there are other things you can do.

Pair your freelancer with a seasoned employee who embodies your organizational culture. After an initial introduction, tell your freelancer that they can turn to this employee with any questions they may have.
Create a photo and bio sheet to distribute to freelance workers. This allows them to take a virtual walk through the office by putting faces to names. This also helps identify the roles of fellow in-house employees, which will help in collaborative projects.
If possible, invite your freelance workers to the office. Let them experience first hand what your culture looks and feels like.

Step 4: Make Your Freelance Worker Feel Part of Your Team

Have you ever felt like a complete outsider at work? It’s not very motivating. Often, that’s how freelancers feel. It takes effort to make them feel they are part of a team that they rarely, if ever, see. Here are some ways you can do so:

Keep your freelance employee informed about “what they are part of.” For example, if they have to create a massive Excel spreadsheet of film festivals in Chicago, let them know why. If the freelancer knew that the company produced a transformational documentary on the water crisis and that the spreadsheet would help market the film, she would feel more aligned with the company’s mission.
Create large goals that remind freelancers who the company is and where it is going. Using the scenario above, an example of a large goal might be, “Provide clean drinking water to every human being in South America by 2017.” With that goal stated and reiterated, it is easier for in-house and freelance employees to feel part of the company’s mission.
Be open with your freelancers about achievements and failures alike. When a freelancer works hard on a project and never hears if it had any impact on the company goals, it’s difficult for her to feel part of the team.
If you send company holiday cards or host holiday parties, don’t forget to include your freelance employees.

Now, let’s revisit the scenario above and examine how the problem could have been avoided.

SOLUTION: If Rebecca’s manager had embodied the company culture in their previous interactions, Rebecca would have known what to expect at the event. If, during the interview process, Rebecca’s manager had spoken to her about her interest in community and the environment, she would have a better idea if Rebecca was a good fit for an organization that values those things. Additionally, by having Rebecca primarily communicate with the intern (obviously not a seasoned member of the organization), she didn’t have a chance to be integrated into the company culture. So while Rebecca’s manager did include her in the company event, it ended up being an unpleasant experience for both of them.

Organizational culture is dynamic. As the centerpiece of culture among your organization’s workforce, you can make a tremendous impact. Start with yourself and take time in selecting and nurturing your freelance workforce. Above all else—remember that talent is not expendable, in-house or not.

Now that we’ve talked about communication challenges with freelance workers, how to facilitate effective collaborations between in-house and freelance teams, and explored ways to increase the likelihood of freelance employees meeting goals and making deadlines, do you feel confident you could successfully manage freelance employees? What challenges are you most wary of?

Tell us about it with a comment below, in an email, or on Twitter. Let’s get ready for the future of work together.

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Communicating Culture with Positive Reinforcement

admin — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 10:38:03 +0000

A lot of big words for a simple theory. Or as Boyd so eloquently puts it in the recent Fast Company article, “People want to be inspired, not lectured. They tend to respond better to humor and gentle reminders than they do to dictates or presumptions of guilt before innocence.” In essence, people don’t respond as well to control as they do to subtle encouragement.

Many people think of organizational culture as a ‘soft’ skill, yet culture is directly related to the execution of your organization’s strategy. What is the ultimate goal within your company? What type of work do you want your employees to create? What type of attitude and atmosphere are you trying to construct? If you know where you want to take your company, then define the behaviors, values and attitudes that you want your employees to emulate as they execute your company’s strategy.

XPLANE’s Culture Map, Courtesy of Dave Gray

For example, one organization I work with values ‘customer service’. Yet customer service can be defined 100 different ways to 100 different people. It’s up to the leadership team to define what customer service actually means in practice in your organization. What’s the behavior and attitude that reflects excellent customer service? Is it a smile upon meeting? Always saying hello first? Do the employees have the authority to do whatever it takes to keep the customer happy, up to a certain dollar amount? These are the type of questions that need to be answered so the team can create the culture that is needed to execute your strategy.

Once your organizational values, behaviors and attitudes are defined, how do you enforce those cultural standards? While the strategy might be compelling, the article mentions using positive reinforcement to increase or maintain a certain type of behavior. Positive reinforcement refers to the behavioral and reinforcement theories developed by B.F. Skinner, in which positive reinforcement is the addition of an appetitive stimulus.

Again, a lot of big words for a simple, effective idea. What does this mean? Provide affirmative incentives. Incentives don’t necessarily need to be tangible, as we’ll discuss in the next post. Intangible are often best. In the case of Burning Man, reinforcement is provided with the use of humor. Humor in unexpected places is a nice surprise and reprieve from what could come across as a dry dictate; it helps employees to want to pay attention.

That’s what it boils down to. To foster a positive, productive, enjoyable culture, with happy employees producing superb results – take care to provide positive feedback where culture has been embraced or in areas you are trying to build up and develop. The result? Employees are inspired to take part and contribute to the organizational culture as they execute their daily tasks.

Let’s share experiences. Leave a comment below, send me an email, or find me on Twitter.

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Four Ways to Build Organizational Purpose

admin — Thu, 28 May 2020 10:51:59 +0000

Purpose is often cast aside as a non-essential to an organization’s success. Finances, IT, sales and product are discussed far more often than purpose. Yet purpose is the driver – without an employee feeling a sense of purpose, the salesperson would be listless and the product engineer would lose creativity. In times of crisis, purpose is more important than ever. It inspires employees to move beyond inertia to action. But what is organizational purpose and how can a manager strengthen it?

What is Purpose?

David Packard, Co-Founder, Hewlett-Packard said:

“Purpose; it’s like a guiding star on the horizon —forever pursued but never reached. Yet although purpose itself does not change; it does inspire change. The very fact that purpose can never be fully realized means that an organization can never stop stimulating change and progress.”

So, what does that mean in real life? Well, have you ever had to drag yourself out of bed, to go to a job that you hated? It’s like pushing a heavy rock uphill.

But when purpose is motivating your actions, everything feels very different. You have a kind of lightness, even when things are intense, or tough. And the same thing is true for organizations. You can feel when an organization is animated by purpose. And that’s a feeling that people want to have. It’s also a feeling that drives better performance.

Annie McKee, the founder of Teleos Leadership Institute, studied dozens of big organizations, and interviewed thousands of people who work there. What she learned is that when we feel negatively about work, we don’t process information well. We don’t think creatively or make the best decisions. But when our feelings about work are positive, the opposite is true. McKee also found that the thousands of people she interviewed listed three things that made them feel good about work.

Things that makes people feel good about work:

First is a meaningful vision of the future. People want to contribute to a future that matters to themselves and others.

The second thing that makes people feel good about work is great relationships. Whether people are leaders, managers or employees, “close, trusting, and supportive relationships” are a big part of what motivates them to contribute.

The third thing that made McKee’s subjects feel good about their work was — wait for it! — a sense of purpose. And if their personal purpose is intertwined with their organization’s purpose — whether it’s ending hunger or creating better widgets — that’s even more positive.

What is Organizational Purpose?

So, if purpose is so important, what exactly is it? An organization’s purpose is not the answer to the question “What do you do?” which typically focuses on products, services and customers, but rather the answer to the question “Why is the work important?” It conveys what the organization stands for in historical, ethical, emotional and practical terms. In other words, purpose is central and enduring to an organization’s culture.

Purpose, Mission, Vision and Values

It’s easy to confuse the difference between purpose, mission, vision and values. Here is a simple way to remember:

Purpose	=	Why	:	Why the organization exists
Vision	=	Where	:	Where the organization aspires to go in the future
Mission	=	What	:	What business the organization is in
Values	=	How	:	What the organization values and how those values are manifested in a workday

Here’s an example for a fictional startup called Connecto:

Purpose	:	Create a globally connected community
Vision	:	Connect 23% of the world by 2025
Mission	:	Build an online platform that allows people to post local news
Value	:	Speak Up! (this allows people to speak up and disagree if they see something going astray)

Why is Purpose Important?

Now that we know what purpose is, why is it so important?

Many studies have shown a strong link between purpose and performance. When employees embrace purpose—when the organization lives it, and not just creates colorful posters about it—the performance shoots up. A survey of the leaders, employees and customers of 50 companies in the fields of technology, media and telecommunications; consumer products; and financial services was carried out by the Boston Consulting Group.

The results of this survey were analyzed using measures such as total shareholder return (TSR), revenue, and EBITDA growth. The results showed that when the organizational purpose was truly ingrained, it correlated strongly with ten-year TSR.

Another reason that purpose is important is because employee expectations are changing. Along with it, the demands of always-on transformations have exposed the limitations of using carrots and sticks to influence employees. To counter this, organizations are understanding the need to appeal to head and heart with not only the extrinsic motivators but intrinsic motivators as well. These Intrinsic motivators include employees’ desire for meaning, connection, and joy in the work, as well as the desire to contribute, develop, and achieve. Purpose is one of the most powerful intrinsic motivators because it speaks to both the head and the heart.

Benefits of Purpose

A 2016 poll by the Gallup Organization shows that only 13% of employees worldwide are engaged at work. The reason why most engagement efforts fall short is that they’re designed to cultivate employees’ commitment in generic, general ways and not attach any purpose to them. Employees must internalize the organization’s purpose, so they make decisions that clearly support those priorities. Ultimately, they design and deliver on brand customer experiences that strengthen the brand’s competitive position and build equity in the brand.

Below are four benefits of organizational purpose:

1. Instill Purpose in Employees

Employees may be very good at compliance, but in today’s global competitive marketplace, going through the motions is not good enough. Organizations need employees who are engaged and come to work with a sense of purpose that comes from knowing that what they do matters to others. When employees are engaged in their work, they enjoy what they do and tend to be more productive.

2. Provide Clarity

Fearing ambiguity leads to narrow thinking and reactionary behaviors. Embracing clarity can open the door to allowing employees to see possibilities that they wouldn’t have otherwise seen. Purpose then drives clarity because it “connects the dots” for employees. They know what is expected of them and why.

3. Stimulate Innovation

Knowing what an organization stands for can open the door to purposeful teams. It enables employees to think of new ways of doing things for a reason — that is, to meet the mission of the organization. That depends upon purpose.

4. Groom the Next Generation of Leaders

Organizations that survive more than a generation are typically those that have developed a leadership cadre who inherited the mission and have been shaped by core values. Purpose leads to intentional employee development.

What Does Purpose Look Like?

You may wonder what organizations claim for their purpose statements. Here are some examples:

“The purpose of Disneyland is to create happiness for others. And you see, the beautiful thing about saying, “We’re going to create happiness” was then I could say, “Look, you may park cars, clean up the place, sweep the place, work graveyard and everything else, but whatever you do is contributing to creating happiness for others.”

– Van Arsdale France, Founder, University of Disneyland

Purpose is like the roots of a tree. Strong roots — strong purpose — provide the tree with nourishment, good health and the ability to sustain itself. If the roots go deep, your tree, and its entire corner of the forest, will prosper. But if roots are shallow, and starving — because you never feed them with purpose — eventually, your tree will fall down. And it won’t just fall down by itself. It’ll take other trees down with it.

We would love to hear from you! What’s your organizational purpose? How is purpose driving your motivation levels and enhancing the business performance? Let’s share experiences. Leave a comment below, send us an email, or find us on Twitter.

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