What do you do if your organization lacks a positive culture?

Here's a page from Sara, a former colleague's, "Culture Play Book." 1: Listen Up! Sara connected with employees, by really listening to their concerns and feedback. 2: Define Values Sara defined core values: respect, collaboration, and continuous improvement. 3: Walk the Talk Sara led by example, ensuring every decision reflected their values. 4: Invest in People Sara introduced development programs and recognition initiatives. 5: Stay the Course Sara and her team remained committed, adapting as needed. 6: Celebrate Success Morale soared, engagement rose, and turnover plummeted. Sara celebrated every milestone and so will you. Get started now by just listening. Before you know it your workplace will soon become a more joyful one!

A lot of people believe that corporate culture starts at the top. I believe culture starts from the middle out. While the top executives of a company will have an impact on culture, you can make a meaningful impact no matter where you fall in the chain of command. Be the kind of leader you'd want to work for.

To address a lack of positive culture, first, pinpoint the challenges. Then, set a clear vision for the desired positive environment. Define core values and behaviours aligning with this vision. Encourage leadership to exemplify these values and promote positivity. Implement initiatives supporting employee well-being, recognition, and growth. Regularly assess progress and gather feedback for continuous improvement. By taking these steps, you'll create an environment where employees feel motivated and empowered to thrive.

The biggest opportunity to create a positive work culture is around psychological safety and creating an environment where diversity of thoughts and experiences is cherished. Where we either win or we learn because it is safe to fail. Where we value each other as people and we demonstrate care in how we handle interactions. Any vision toward servant leadership in an organization is going to be built on trust between people. It takes many small consistent deposits to build trust and only one bad interaction to overdraw on the trust bank. Vision must be backed by consistent acts of service in alignment with the culture. A single act contrary to that vision can wipe out months of progress.

Work with your teams to engage with one another in a safe environment. Build recognition programs between peers. Have them work with each other in each of their job roles to help show what each member of the team contributes. Have meetings together and promote team-building activities and showcase accomplishments from team members working together.

Implement initiatives to promote collaboration, recognition, and appreciation among team members, such as team-building activities, peer-to-peer recognition programs, and cross-functional projects. Empower teams to take ownership of shaping the culture by involving them in decision-making processes and soliciting their input on cultural initiatives. Provide resources and support for skill development and resilience training to help teams navigate challenges and thrive in a positive work environment. By engaging teams and empowering them to drive cultural change, you can cultivate a more positive and supportive culture within your organization.

If your organization lacks a positive culture, one effective strategy to address this is by modelling behaviour that reflects the desired cultural values. As a leader, exemplify the behaviours and attitudes you wish to see in others. Demonstrate integrity, respect, and empathy in your interactions with colleagues. Communicate openly and transparently, fostering trust and collaboration within the organization. Show appreciation for employees' contributions and celebrate their achievements. Encourage a growth mindset by embracing change and innovation. By consistently modelling positive behaviour, you can inspire others to emulate these qualities and contribute to creating a more positive culture within the organization.

Invest in your people. Take care of your workers and they will take care of your customers. Invest in growth. Invest in opportunities. Invest in mental health. Invest in physical health. Invest in life balance. Invest in a purpose BEYOND profit.

Not everyone fits into a one-size-fits-all model for recognition, for engagement, for workplace environments, or for socializing with colleagues. Many leaders in organizations got there because they were loud, outgoing, gregarious, able-bodied, cis, hetero, neurotypical. There are expectations that a loud, outgoing, gregarious, able-bodied, cis, hetero, neurotypical culture is the best fit for everyone. It's not. Corporate culture must involve and welcome everyone.