We honestly don’t really know, with any degree of certainty, what lies ahead of us – economically, politically, socially, personally.
'Something is rotten in the state of Denmark...' It's fascinating how supporters of political leaders begin to emulate the behaviour of their leadership, and then how relatively quickly that behaviour spreads and is taken up by others. The realisation of the body politic.
What’s worth considering is that the workplace is no different.
Employees consciously, and unconsciously, imitate the behaviour of leaders within an organisation, copying the positive things leaders do, but also replicating the negative things as well.
In many organisations, managers describe people as having 'bad attitudes' but often the culture created by leaders is the root cause of the problem. Robert Whipple, The Trust Ambassador notes, if these same ‘problem people’ are put in a culture of trust, respect, and challenge, many of them quickly rise up to become happy and productive workers.
Leaders can shape a company culture through their behaviour and so it’s vital to make sure that the right kind of behaviour is modelled.
So here are a few things to pay attention to as we go forward through this pandemic and into whatever lies beyond:
Watch what you say – language is powerful and it’s worth taking time to think about your values and choose words that reflect them. The stories organisations tell about themselves become the reality for those in that organisation. Are the right stories being told?
Watch what you reward – do you ask for one set of desired behaviours and then reward completely different behaviours. Rewards don’t have to be monetary, they can be recognition, access and inclusion. Ask yourself who is being invited into the inner circle and why? Is teamwork encouraged but individual achievement rewarded? Are you asking for robust input as you navigate these times but then dismissing opposing ideas?
Watch what you tolerate – ignoring a problem sends a message to everyone. If you leave negative behaviour unaddressed you send a message to the whole organisation and what gets ignored becomes acceptable. Hoping problems will just go away if you turn a blind eye is a technique that, unfortunately, doesn’t work, anywhere, anytime, ever.
Think of Cassius' manipulation of Brutus in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, "And since you know you cannot see yourself, so well as by reflection, I, your glass, will modestly discover to yourself, that of yourself which you yet know not of."
As you try to shape or re-shape the culture of your organisation post-Covid, make sure the reflection in the mirror is the one you want to see reflected in the organisation.