Building Culture Through Leadership
Building culture through leadership is essential If you want people to work well together towards common goals. Fostering a positive organisational culture that is showcased and cultivated by the leadership is the gold standard for organisational success.
Culture can be difficult to define and even more challenging to change, but it’s a necessary piece of the puzzle regarding company success.
Organisational culture is a shared set of values and beliefs that guide how people behave in their work environment. Leaders need to understand the impact of organisational culture on the business and how it can be used to shape a company’s success.
Leaders Set the Tone
Leadership is a critical factor in building a solid culture. Leaders set the tone for their teams and can foster an environment where employees enjoy working.
They have a powerful influence on company culture and performance, so they must understand how their actions can impact those things positively (or negatively).
‘Building culture through leadership is about demonstrating or communicating the way things should be done.’
Michael Vincent – Strategic Goal Management Consulting
Leaders can use their position to affect change by setting clear expectations and working with employees to develop new skills and improve processes. They can also encourage team members to collaborate by providing opportunities to share ideas, which will help build trust within and between departments.
Leadership Insights
If you’re looking for ways, your leadership style could impact your company’s culture, ask yourself these questions:
- Do I give credit where credit is due?
- Do I bring my best self into every interaction?
- Am I willing to admit when I’ve made mistakes?
- Am I open-minded when others suggest how we do our work together?
Have a look through the free resources from our insights blog below for more information.
“The best leaders can set a vision and direction for their team that inspires people to be their best. They also know how to select the right behaviours and ensure they are a role model for these behaviours themselves. Leaders should lead by example every day.”
Michael Vincent – Strategic Goal Management
Leaders must Train and Mentor
Leaders are critical to the culture of an organisation. A leader must support and reinforce the culture to be built effectively. A leader should:
- Communicate with employees about what is expected of them about the company’s core values and mission statements.
- Communicate their vision for how they want people to do their jobs and how they want people to behave.
- Train managers on how to lead employees who represent diverse cultural backgrounds so that everyone feels included and respected by all levels within an organisation’s hierarchy structure.
Employees follow the Leadership Example
It is easy to see why employees follow leaders. The leader is the most critical person in the company; they set the tone for company culture and determine how everyone else will act. So, to build an inclusive and productive workplace that values diversity, inclusivity, and learning, you must lead by example by being open-minded.
Culture provides employees with an understanding of what’s important in their workplace, so they know what behaviours will get them ahead professionally while also feeling good about themselves personally.
A company culture that is understands the importance of coaching and mentoring for staff will make the right investments in training.
Need Support to Develop Your Organisational Culture?
Strategic Goal Management is here to guide you through the process of improving your working culture. Please get in touch for a free consultation. We are advocates of developing a culture to improve the workplace environment of organisations.