If you’re not nurturing a culture that promotes positive behaviours, habits and ideas in your team, your business is unlikely to be performing at its full potential.
Culture happens organically, but a healthy culture needs cultivating. I sometimes liken it to gardening. Positive aspects need to be tended and fed nutrients, so they grow and flourish, while negative aspects need weeding out before they have an opportunity to take root.
Although cultural health can’t be measured, it can certainly be felt, and it’s something I can usually pick up on very quickly on visiting a client’s premises.
Based on my experience, here are four questions which will help you to determine if your culture is in good shape, or in need of attention:
- How Does Recognition Happen & Who Gives It?
What’s explicit versus implicit? Does recognition happen naturally? Up, down and across the organisation?
- How Are People Judged?
In a results-based culture, values are observed naturally, assumptions are checked before conclusions are drawn, poor performance is explored and issues are addressed and resolved early, so they don’t have the opportunity to grow into more significant problems.
- How Are Mistakes Dealt With?
In a healthy culture, people aren’t afraid to ask for advice. People at all levels will exude clear ownership and responsibility, and if something goes wrong, processes and systems will be reviewed as well as people’s contributions so blame is not automatically be assigned.
- Are People Forthcoming About Difficult Issues?
A healthy, open culture leaves no space for rumour, gossip or suspicion. Changes are anticipated, understood and difficult decisions are supported.
Whether you need a cultural revolution or just a little evolution, Organic P&O Solutions can help!
Get in touch and let’s arrange to have an initial discussion about your organisational culture!
