Please take a look at the above (very simplified) example of a graph grid. When you are plotting numbers on the Y (vertical) axis, there is only a single point equal to zero. Every other value is either positive or negative.
A simple analogy exists for company culture. It would be exceptionally difficult to identify a culture that is truly neutral; those close to such a value almost always end up being negative in nature.
Ideally, your corporate culture should motivate, empower and uplift your employees. It should attract both new employees as well as customers.
I say this because the events of the past two years have made it easy for companies to inadvertently let their attention slip away from supporting the positive aspects of their culture. People have dispersed. Face-to-face events and meetings are more of a rarity. A great deal of energy has been invested into keeping things going despite enormous logistical challenges.
In many cases, cultures are taking a hit.
Some leaders are doing well in this environment. Some are not. More than a few are neglecting their people. That’s why I wanted to share today the message that if your culture isn’t helping your team members, it’s hurting them.
It’s no longer logical to “wait until things get back to normal.” This is the new normal. You still have to invest time and effort into supporting your culture, and likely more creatively and differently than before.
What are you doing—right now—to show that you care?
How are you uplifting your teams?
And, equally important, how are your employees supporting each other?
Culture isn’t only a function of how leaders behave; it’s the sum total of how everyone behaves. To have a positive, productive culture, you need to hire, empower and reward those who make the workplace better—and not tolerate those who do not.