environment Archives - Dennis E. Gilbert

17
Jul 20
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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.

18
Oct 19
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Exciting Culture and What Makes It a Good Time

Tags : culture environment exciting leadership people

Do you have an exciting culture? Do people show up for work, the conference call, or the staff meeting pumped up and ready to go?

There is always the, “One in every crowd.”

One who brings in the motivation, enthusiasm and passion.

There may also be the one who drags their butt around like they walked 100 miles to get there.

The desirable, of course, is the engaging passion for what is about to happen next. How is that created?

Always Up to You

When you attend the meeting, the workshop, or the convention, what makes the difference? Does the power of one change the atmosphere and outcomes?

Like many things in life, it seems that you only get out of it what you put into it.

It is true for learning. If you don’t read, study, and experience something deeper you probably aren’t going to pick up much.

It is true for the artist, the researcher, and the chef, the effort you apply will have a direct correlation to what spins out of it.

Does your contribution affect culture?

Exciting Culture

Think about this when you attend the next event that involves other people. How you show up will have a lot to do with what others will experience. Your enthusiasm, like attitude, is contagious.

The culture then, which by the way is a long-run game, depends on how the vibes are spread. Are you springing into action or dragging around like you just walked 100 miles?

You always have an opportunity to make a difference.

The question then becomes, “Will you?”

-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.

26
Sep 19
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Workplace Culture Leverage Means More

Tags : community culture environment people workplace

Mankind discovered the advantage of the lever in the stone age. Sir Isaac Newton receives credit for framing the concepts associated with gravity. Does workplace culture leverage matter?

When asked about culture, many businesses will tell a story about their environment. They’ll mention their recent remodeling efforts, break rooms, or nature path that is around the back of the building.

These things all add value and may be important, yet they are really about shaping the environment which may have little or nothing to do with building a better culture.

Culture Contributions

Your culture includes contributions from many different angles. It is somewhat about the physical environment, yet it is also about people, communication, and symbols.

When the CEO says, “Let’s have a meeting outside of the office and be sure to BYOD (bring your own device) we’ll be accessing things during the meeting.” A segment, if not all of those receiving the invitation will get excited. They get excited because it is new, different, trendy, and gives them bragging rights about the greatness of the organization where they work.

This is leverage.

Workplace Culture Leverage

Each time organization leadership promotes or engages in emotion building activities or events, it stimulates culture. Culture is about people. Leverage is about moving something in a direction with more ease.

Organization culture is much easier to build when there is a compelling reason to participate. Pushing cultural values or creating fear is a short run game with little or no future leverage.

Avoid the mistake of assuming that culture is more about objects or material things than it is about people. Culture is created through our experiences and emotions. Passion, motivation, and the interest to build community all happen as a result.

Building something is always about more than the money that is involved.

Leverage everything that connects people.

-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.

12
Sep 19
-

Work Environment Can Sometimes Be An Illusion

Tags : culture environment jobs organization culture workplace

What is the work environment where you work? Does the environment match the culture or is the environment only a symbol disguising what is really going on? Is the environment only an illusion?

Low unemployment rates make hiring practices more challenging. Depending on your sector, you may have decided that getting people on board can be tough. Keeping them on board is often equally challenging.

When the economy is strong and the unemployment rates are low, people are often able to work at the best organizations. In other words, if your organization is not shiny, glamorous, and exciting, it makes getting and keeping talent tougher.

Environment and Culture

People often confuse the work environment with workplace culture. They tend to go hand-in-hand, yet they are not the same thing.

Work environment has more to do with the physical facility. Is it modern, trendy, and inviting? Does it encourage motivation? Is it reflective of the values and beliefs shared within the organization culture?

Certainly, much of this depends on the type of organization. Heavy industrial is going to be different from healthcare and the financial sector is different from retail commerce or academia.

Mike Rowe starred in a hit TV series known as Dirty Jobs. A show that often highlighted tough, sometimes disgusting work assignments that most people would not choose to do.

One of Mike’s more popular quotes, “Happiness does not come from a job. It comes from knowing what you truly value, and behaving in a way that’s consistent with those beliefs.” connects with the difference between environment and culture.

The most successful workplace cultures today do an excellent job of connecting values and beliefs with the work environment.

Work Environment

Building an environment is materialistic. It may involve capital, sometimes lots of it. Perhaps it connects with the location or history of the physical site. It is represented in the buildings, the furniture and fixtures, and other amenities.

One of the best ways to move towards an organization culture that you desire is to have an environment that supports it. It is always easier to flow with the environment instead of against it.

On the other hand, building the environment and assuming you’ve done the work required for culture is only an illusion.

-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.

19
Aug 19
-

Workplace Environment and Culture are Different

Tags : culture environment workplace

What is the culture of your organization? How would employees describe the workplace environment? An appealing environment doesn’t always signal an appealing culture.

Sometimes one or both are toxic.

When I speak with workplace leaders about culture, they often describe the environment.

We have an open floor plan, no one has an office.

Our break room has been remodeled, it is more friendly and more like a lounge, with televisions and Xbox.

We have loosened our dress code; people feel more relaxed that way.

In a general sense, these statements are more about environment than they are about culture. Culture can grow from an environment, but suggesting a remodeled break room is a description of your culture is a stretch.

Image of Culture

A remodeled break room that is more like a college recreation room or a hotel lobby doesn’t matter much when the rules (formal or informal) are so tight that the room isn’t used.

Sure, those who have successfully made it to the job interview can see the room and feel good, but the culture will decide how, when, and if the room meets the picture it paints.

Culture does have something to do with image. However, image is more about branding, culture is more about a feeling, a community.

Workplace Environment

Workplace pods instead of conference rooms sound inviting. Couch type furniture with coffee table style work space look appealing.

Only no one is there because it is presumed that you are goofing off when looking relaxed in that area.

The assumptions we make are, or can become, the culture. The furniture and fixtures are part of the environment.

Building a culture is about people, trust, and respect.

Building an environment is what you imagine based on what you see.

-DEG

CASE IN POINT: The Fremont Star Lily is beautiful, the root looks like a garlic or an onion bulb, but you can’t eat it.

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: environment

Jul 20

-

Culture or Environment?

Teamwork Give

Oct 19

-

Always Up to You

Exciting Culture

Sep 19

-

Culture Contributions

Workplace Culture Leverage

Sep 19

-

Environment and Culture

Work Environment

Aug 19

-

Image of Culture

Workplace Environment

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