One of my favorite authors is Simon Sinek. His books inspire leaders to value the individuals they have the privilege to lead. For example, in his book Leaders Eat Last, Sinek studies why some teams work and others don’t.

“Corporate culture matters. How management chooses to treat its people impacts everything for better or worse.”

– Simon Sinek

While leaders understand the power of culture on the organization’s success, building a healthy culture takes time and work.

So how can you begin to build a healthy organizational culture? The first step in building a healthy culture is acknowledging the value of culture. Suzanne Lucas reminds us we must make our culture as critical as results and our values as important as productivity.

Now, let’s take the next step and get more specific. There are many things to consider when building a healthy culture for your organization. And a few of them you may not have considered.

So the following are a few questions to ask yourself to help you build the most successful workplace culture:

  1. What are my team members like? Think about your typical team member. Is it a 20-something techie? Or is it an Ivy League MBA with a trust fund? Design a culture that supports the characteristics of your team members.
  2. Who are your clients and customers? Do your customers and clients come to your workplace? What would you want them to see? Consider the people and businesses you serve.
  3. What are my values? For example, if you value family and balanced life, a take-no-prisoners aggressive workplace environment will be at odds with your personal values. Instead, embrace a culture that aligns with your values.
  4. What type of workplace culture would I enjoy? You are the leader, and you’re going to spend all day, and maybe nights, at work. What kind of environment would you find pleasant? Choose something that you will enjoy.
  5. What type of workplace culture is needed for success? Of course, it’s not just about making yourself happy. You want to be successful, too. The key is to find something that checks all the boxes.

Establish a culture that meets your values and that you also enjoy. The culture must also have a high level of potential for success and addresses the needs of your team members and customers.

Building a healthy organizational culture can be challenging, but life is all about compromises. Take your time and get it right.

Are you building a healthy organizational culture?

#YourLeadershipGuide
Kim


Click HERE and leader to lead with cultural competence!

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    About the author

    I'm Kim, your Educational Leadership Guide. I equip educational leaders with research-based and experientially learned educational leadership principles and best practices to promote student success.


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