A while ago there was a culture survey that went out taking the pulse of the company and the culture within. To be honest I don't remember the questions or really any details other than how the leadership is doing and how you feel about your supervisor/manager.
Never really thought much about it until this week where I was told that the team I work for communicated that they have respect for the leadership and the culture within stood out.
Definitely good news and what you always hope to hear. However it really made me ask more questions than it answered.
Why is the culture better? My thoughts? Several things however it really revolves around trust. The people who do the job every day know more about that job than the leadership. Trust them to do it.
Expectations. Give as much clarity around what you expect. Define success and timeframe. A key area around this is to then ask for people to repeat what is expected so you know you are on the same page.
Next is accountability. If people are not performing at expectations hold them accountable. Not once a year, every once in a while. All the time. Don't mix words. Take out the maybe, kinda and sort of. Give the exact words. Performance is to be at 10. You are at 9. This must be fixed immediately. Now lets work together to define a plan and execute it.
Honesty. Have authentic conversations where you discuss exactly where you stand. Sure sometimes you have to be "Political" however many times recently people have responded much better when you tell them exactly what is going on and why. From customers to team members. How can people get better if you simply push issues down the road versus helping give clarity.
Listen. I am not an expert (Well probably at anything) however listen to those around you. Many times I believe people simply act like they care and are listening, then tell you what to do. This is how you get mediocre.
Last, leaders must distribute the praise and accept the negative (Pain). Leaders may not do the job, however they take responsibility when it does not go well.
What is next? It is great to have a great culture. Now we MUST do something legendary.
