culture Archives - Page 3 of 12

25
Sep 20
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Tactical Emergencies May Be Holding You Back

Tags : culture fighting fires strategic tactical

Do you spend a big chunk of your day [metaphorically] fighting fires? Is it time to change the approach? Tactical emergencies happen, but when they are the norm there should be corrective action.

We could start with hiring practices, or we could jump into training approaches, and then we could even jump into egos, systems, and most of all strategy.

Do you have the best approaches to work or are you just getting through each day?

Every time you are fighting a fire you have temporarily abandoned strategy. Whether it is five minutes, five days, or five weeks. Both strategy and tactics are important, yet both require balance.

Are you doing too much tactical?

Tactical Emergencies

Workplace leaders are often out of balance. They feel trapped. Trapped in picking up the pieces for production or performance failures that are happening all around them.

What do they do?

They put out fires with little afterthought of how it started, why it started, or especially why they are continuing to pop-up.

In order to regain balance, they need to do something different. They need to stop the cause of fires.

Misbelieve 1 – No one is capable of providing the oversight that I provide. That is why I’m here. I’ve worked my way up by being the one who fixes everything from a hiccup to a catastrophe. Checkpoints: ego, training, aged cultural systems, or values.

Misbelieve 2 – Training takes too long and no one cares enough. There isn’t enough time. We need to get the people working not training, after all, we have a schedule to meet. My job is to pick up the pieces. Checkpoints: training is an investment, not a direct expense, culture, purpose, and long-term strategy.

Misbelieve 3 – It’s been done this way for years. That’s exactly how we’ve stayed in business. It’s hard to find new talent. Checkpoints: strategy, technology investments, skills, culture, business reputation.

Sometimes it feels like the only way to get out of a hole is to dig. Sometimes while you are digging you misunderstand how you got into the hole in the first place.

Being more strategic and less tactical may be much more effective than showing up with a helmet, an axe, and sirens blaring.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

22
Sep 20
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Workplace Norms and What Is Different

Tags : culture fit hiring practices norms

Do you fall perfectly in line with the culture at your workplace? Are you following the workplace norms?

Many organizations hire for fit. Fit is often viewed as the most important attribute immediately following a handful of specific skills.

Do you feel like you fit? What is the real narrative of the culture?

Fitting in has value. So does, a different opinion. In many cases, something different creates more value not less.

Need Not Apply

We must remove some variables.

A person who is against alcohol consumption probably isn’t right for a winery or liquor store.

The same may be said about gun shops, vape stores, or your local specialty meats store. If you are strongly against, you probably don’t fit.

What about someone who loves to go fishing instead of playing golf. Someone who loves tiny homes instead of a mansion, or who drives a junker car instead of a brand-new BMW?

Why does any of this matter?

It matters because decisions connected to your personal preferences or taste, should not necessarily count you out for being valuable to the organization. Strong differing values and beliefs may not work, but otherwise different may be just what the organization needs.

What are the workplace norms all about then?

Workplace Norms

People often want to hire people who are just like themselves. The belief often is that if we agree on nearly everything, the work will be easier.

The prominent thought is that it will allow for greater success, more efficiency, and fewer people problems.

Don’t confuse easier with better, or success with fewer problems.

The leadership team at Blockbuster must have agreed with each other. The same might be said for strategy developers at Sears, KMart, or Radio Shack.

You may not be in love with technology, you may not understand why some co-workers ride a bicycle when they have a car, and perhaps you can’t imagine why anyone would eat brussels sprouts, yet it may not be relevant for doing the best work.

Workplace culture enjoys a special dance with empathy. Empathetic cultures embrace many differences and use those differences to form special bonds with the organizational mission.

A football team isn’t made up entirely of quarterbacks. Healthcare doesn’t only hire nurses. And the construction company probably needs an accountant.

Fit is often really a frame that is often misinterpreted as meaning, “Just like me.”

What is different may be exactly what you need.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

18
Sep 20
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Describing Culture Gets Easier Once You Understand

Tags : culture organizational psychology of work strategic plan workplace

What is the culture of your organization or team? Is it well defined and can you easily explain it to others? Describing culture may have its challenges, but if you can’t identify what it is no one else will understand either.

People often want the short version. The short story. Sum it up for us because we don’t have much time.

Yet we would seldom laugh at a joke told if we were only told the punchline.

Interests and Understanding

People seem to be most interested when they like something.

They’ll discuss their hobbies, their quest for a new or remodeled home, a new car, or an elaborate vacation. They’re interested because they like it.

Not everyone may like what they like. Someone may believe you buy a car and run it until it does, a different person may believe that you should always trade it in within a two-year window.

It’s true for hobbies, vacations, and the choices made for what you call home.

Not everyone agrees, yet most people can respect why it might be important to someone.

What about your workplace culture, can you describe it?

Describing Culture

It isn’t always about trying to make someone believe what you believe. Sometimes it is about making them see what you are seeing.

Once others see it, they have a new choice. A choice to believe. Even if it isn’t their thing, they may be able to feel it. That is where the belief begins.

Shaping a culture is visionary. It is often fluid; it twists and morphs across time. It’s probably not exactly what is written in the strategic plan, it is probably not exactly what is illustrated in the company video.

You can tell it to everyone. Tell them what it is and how it will be.

Yet, what they feel will become what they believe.

If you’re going to have the culture that you desire, you’re going to have to work on understanding what the people of that culture feel. What they feel begins with what they see.

It’s not about the formal description. It’s not some fancy words, some clever jargon, or the video on the website.

You can suggest a joke is funny. Telling someone to laugh at the punch line doesn’t mean that it is.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

11
Sep 20
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Workplace Interpretations Drive Outcomes

Tags : culture excitement happiness stress work ethic

What are your workplace interpretations? Everyone has some. Have you considered how they drive outcomes?

It’s 2020, and we’re in the middle of a U.S. presidential election. There are lots of opinions, concerns, and hopes about what will happen next.

One person watches a democratic commercial and gets angry, a different person watches the same commercial and gets excited.

Republican commentary comes on the news. Someone will say it’s all lies, someone else will cheer for more.

And that is just connected to the election. There is more.

An on-line shopper observes a back-ordered item and believes the item has sold so well, it’s out-of-stock, what a great product and a great company. Another shopper a thousand miles away sees the same item but believes the company is lousy because they can’t build the product.

A restaurant franchise owner sees cars backing up on the street to enter the drive-through window of her establishment. She gets really excited. A passer-by sees an accident waiting to happen and believes the owner is making too much money.

The difference is in the interpretation.

Those interpretations will also condition what happens next.

Does it happen in the workplace?

Absolutely.

Workplace Interpretations

People come to work every day. They show up, follow a routine, take a deep breath and dive in. Some may drag around for a while. Slow to get started, hesitant to give their energy.

One person will see a batch of new customer orders and be excited about the opportunity. Yet, another person will see the batch of orders as the worst part of their day.

One person will see the meeting with the boss as worrisome and stressful. Another believes it is a great opportunity.

Someone will watch the clock eager to get away from work at the end of the shift. Another worries that there is not enough time in the shift to satisfy every customer.

You will interpret something today. You’ll be energized and excited, or you’ll be stressed out and maybe a little angry.

You’re part of the culture and will help create what happens next.

Which part would you rather be?

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

18
Aug 20
-

Friendly Competition, Is It Really Friendly?

Tags : competition culture friendly integrity rules

Are you up for a little friendly competition? Will everyone play by the rules?

In the workplace, sales teams will sometimes do this.

Who is having the best day, week, or month in sales? Sell the most and you win a trip, get a special parking spot, or maybe you receive a nice bonus.

It works for other areas too. Safety records, attendance, or any key performance indicators that are measured for improvement.

A little friendly competition can certainly be motivating, challenging, and break new ground. It can spice things up and achieve some great results.

Is friendly competition truly friendly or are there rule-breakers, guideline manipulators, and short-cut takers?

Would you consider that to be part of the competition?

Friendly Competition

The desire to compete, to win, to prove excellence or highest performance motivates many.

Competition can also invite pressure, the pressure for greater performance or to get recognized as above average.

Pressure might imply pushing. Getting pushed, being pushed, or risking it all for victory.

We often use the word push. Push harder, do more, get better, or stronger. Conceptually, pull is a better method.

When the pressure to achieve becomes so overwhelming a win at all costs might develop. Sometimes, people believe they need to risk it all to achieve.

They try short-cuts, end runs, and they may try to cheat.

Cheating isn’t friendly competition. It shouldn’t be part of the process.

Your highest integrity and most loyal team members won’t sacrifice their character or reputation by resorting to cheating. Unless of course, the possibility of better results outweighs the risk of getting caught.

Competition and cheating have been around for a long time.

Do you want a culture of integrity?

When you start the competition, what will be the rules? How will the rules be monitored and enforced?

Promoting competition with “no rules” means you may be weakening the integrity of your organzation.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

27
Jul 20
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Workplace Seniority Has Lost Its Appeal

Tags : career culture seniority workplace

Does workplace seniority matter? It seems that like a fairy tale, once upon a time it did.

There are as many flavors of job promotion philosophy as there are Baskin-Robbins ice cream, and then some.

Certainly, labor unions may have something to say about it. Aside from any organized labor structure what is the vibe on seniority in the workplace?

Is it a thing, or is it gone?

Organizational Purpose

Let’s get really clear. Whatever organization you work for, it is probably not in business to see that you get a promotion.

Employees are valuable. I’ve written many times about the importance of the human side of work. Workplace culture exists because of the collective psychology of work. It is always based on members of the group. It’s a human thing.

The importance of caring for organization members is vital, yet, can it be taken for granted?

Google doesn’t sell cellular phones because they are in the search engine business.

Dell doesn’t sell PC’s because they are trying to provide value for an accounting software package.

John Deere doesn’t sell new tractors because they are a collector’s item.

It is important for every employee to remember why they are there.

I’m fortunate to speak with many mid-level organization employees. Many of them are frustrated with their career.

My first question often is, “What do you want to do for your career?” And the response often is, “I’m not sure.”

It’s not unusual to not be sure. It is unusual to excel to greater levels when you are not.

In fact, by today’s standards, it may be unusual to keep your current position if you expect a permanent status quo.

Workplace Seniority

Many employees grow stale and stagnate while they expect the organization to take care of them. Yes, years of service matter, and yes, long-term contributions matter.

Yet, the organization is not in business to see to it that there is always a path forward for the employee. The path forward is about business. While these lines may occasionally cross, there typically are no guarantees.

Often the best thing you can do for your career is to figure what you want to do and what matters most for you personally. Then figure out how that knowledge and those skills can provide value to a business.

You may have to re-tool. Gain new skills, repackage yourself, and show a different kind of value.

Just because you have been around for a while, doesn’t mean that it is owed to you.

That is just a fairy tale.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

20
Jul 20
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Emotion Binds, It Does Not Distract

Tags : culture customer first productivity remove the emotion team

Do you let feelings get the best of you? Have you ever been told to stop being emotional? The truth is, emotion binds you to the experience. It may be the most important connection you make.

You’re driving in your car and an oldie comes on the radio. You remember a moment, a situation, an experience that touches your heart.

The high school or college graduation you attend. You remember a time when you were in a similar position and you wish for his or her dreams to come true.

It’s also true at weddings, first bicycle rides, first cars, and your first home.

It may even be true at your first job.

A bit of nostalgia.

As a person you connect to things based on emotion.

For your workplace, do emotions matter?

You bet that they do. We are an emotionally driven species.

Emotion Binds

I have a few clients who have been known to state, “Remove the emotion!”

When the opportunity is right, I’ll urge them to reconsider this statement.

The last time I checked, passion for the work is based on emotion. Caring about the customer is based on emotion, and accomplishing something new or different is aligned with emotion.

Do you want culture. Culture isn’t based on something tangible. It’s deeply rooted in emotions.

When you constantly remind the team to remove the emotion. You may be self-defeating the change or culture you’re actually trying to create.

Do you need buy-in for your change? Get people emotionally involved.

Are you trying to make a positive pivot for your culture? It’s connected to emotions.

Do you want people to do their best for the customer, put the customer first, and build strong relationships? It stems from caring. Caring comes from emotions.

Emotion may be the most underrated aspect of workplace productivity, efficiency, and employee loyalty.

It will be a positive influence on culture, or it won’t.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

17
Jul 20
-

Teamwork Give, Are You Doing It?

Tags : culture environment give leadership teamwork

Giving more, means more. What are you willing to give? In the workplace, teamwork give may be one of the most constructive things you can do.

People often ask, “What do you have to lose?”

Instead we should be asking, “What do you have to give?”

The psychology of work drives everything. It is an element of culture, the associated environment, and the outputs of the organization.

What happens when we give more:

patience
trust
empathy
responsibility
benefit of the doubt?

Do any of these have a positive return on investment? Do they make a difference?

Culture or Environment?

Many organizations believe that they have a thriving culture. Yet, they often lack some of the essential ingredients.

When you ask about culture do you get answers connected to the environment?

We brightened the room.

We provided a walking trail and a fitness room.

Some of our cubicles went away and were replaced with open space.

In a general sense, these are all related to the environment, not the culture.

Culture has some connections to the environment but environment alone does not illustrate the culture. Culture is comprised of many things and it starts with behaviors, attitudes, and a feeling that develops from the people.

What are you giving to your team?

Teamwork Give

We can give a lot of things. More respect, more trust, and even more patience.

Empathy matters. So does negative bias and stereotyping.

Is there ridicule or more benefit of the doubt?

Do you want employees to care more? Give them more responsibility, empowerment, and involve them in decisions.

Working overtime on your culture may be the simplest thing you can do to make the organization better.

Are you getting a good return on your investment?

Give more.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

13
Jul 20
-

The Boss Decides How Service Will Look and Feel

Tags : boss culture decisions front line people

Front-line employees are expected to follow the path created for them. The boss decides what that path will look like and how it should be followed. Does this system work?

Sometimes.

Largely though, the path created has some flaws. There are unexpected obstacles and hurdles. The flow chart reaches decision loops and dead ends.

Systems and People

Consequences for a failed system are shown on the income statement, or dealt with by the front-line, or both.

A system working in the black doesn’t mean that the system is working, at least not as completely or effectively as it could.

What could go wrong? It’s designed by the boss.

Businesses are comprised of a system. They’re also comprised of people.

Are investments made in the people?

What is the hiring practice? Hire a friend of a friend? The bosses relative? Are these the best choices?

Are people in the system listening?

Does the system allow for empathy and compassion?

What is the culture? Are employees trained and invested in, or are they viewed as a tool to accomplish a task?

The Boss Decides

Most workplaces are held to a standard.

There is always a culture and likely sub-cultures. Those components are developed by the boss. The boss decides what the organization looks like.

Most employees only have a few choices.

They can role model exactly what the culture illustrates, in a failed system or failing culture they can attempt to role model something better, or they can leave.

When the employees care enough to try to make a difference will anyone listen?

The boss decides.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

02
Jul 20
-

Bright Futures Start With Your Story

Tags : culture future narrative stories

Are you a product of your story? The easy answer is, yes. Bright futures start with the story you are telling. Without a good story, the future may be dim.

The interesting aspect of any story is its purpose. We tell stories for warnings, pleasure, humor, advice, branding, fear, and especially to promote change.

Think about your conversation yesterday, and the one you’ll have today. What is its purpose? Is it for preparation, strategy, or change?

Social media tells a story. So does the mainstream news.

Your co-workers have a story, what are they telling?

Your boss has a story, so do the investors.

There is a story at the barber shop, a story on the radio, and a story in your email in-box.

Certainly, it makes sense to stay on top of some news. It also makes sense to think for yourself about the information you receive. Question the motive, the reason, and the purpose.

Everyone claims to want a bright future, yet what is their story?

Bright Futures

Is fear more attractive or interesting than success?

Is anger more desirable than peace?

What is your top story? What are you going to talk about today?

Maybe the story you want to tell isn’t the story that will help create the path to the future you desire.

Whatever narrative you are listening to, or telling, it will have a lot to do with what happens next.

What is your language describing? Does it matter?

Bright futures start with a story.

What is your story?

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Tag Archives: culture

Sep 20

-

Tactical Emergencies

Sep 20

-

Need Not Apply

Workplace Norms

Sep 20

-

Interests and Understanding

Describing Culture

Sep 20

-

Workplace Interpretations

Aug 20

-

Friendly Competition

Jul 20

-

Organizational Purpose

Workplace Seniority

Jul 20

-

Emotion Binds

Jul 20

-

Culture or Environment?

Teamwork Give

Jul 20

-

Systems and People

The Boss Decides

Jul 20

-

Bright Futures

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