Cultivating an Appreciative Culture
30/10/08 Filed in: 7 Ideas Coach
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The best working definition of company culture is what people do when the boss isn’t looking. In short, it’s the behavior, attitude, and atmosphere that happen unconsciously by default.
So is your company culture important? You Bet! Your organization’s culture either advances or inhibits success.
I use the word appreciative to describe a company culture where people both contribute to a positive climate AND take care of the business. Two meanings of appreciative fit: to recognize with gratitude, and to increase in value.
When the culture leads people to value their conditions and make extra effort to advance the business, the culture itself becomes an asset that increases the value of the company. Cultivating an appreciative culture is one way you as a leader, business owner, or knowledge professional can create and sustain an exceptional organization.
Here are some ways you can start cultivating an appreciative culture today!
Model Good Communication. An often overlooked aspect of good communication is making critical information not only available, but easy to find and easy to understand. Be a source of information that is clear, relevant, and timely.
Listen. To fully listen, whether you agree or not, sends a powerful message that the speaker has value. When people know they’ve been heard, they’re more apt to support your decisions. Does the organization’s leadership have a routine of listening to employee ideas?
Encourage Real Conversation. People can’t talk up an organization unless they are free to talk it down. Are meetings centered on meaningful discussion or simply reporting? Having healthy conversations in formal settings is a sure-fire way to cultivate healthy informal conversations.
Set the Emotional Tone. Emotions are contagious, so anyone's contribution to an appreciative attitude makes a difference. The example set by leadership, however, almost always carries the most weight. Set the example. Bonus points for fun and humor.
Seed Appreciation. It’s easy to get so caught up in problems that what is working goes unrecognized. Are you acknowledging what is going well? Does the organization frequently let people know when they’re doing a good job? Does the organization communicate how a person’s work contributes to the overall success of the company? Do you routinely share success stories, or war stories?
Hire the Right Attitude. Ensure your recruitment, interviewing, and selection process focuses on attitudinal and interpersonal skills, and not simply technical and professional abilities.
Provide Development Opportunities That Matter. Does the organization provide regular opportunities for learning and growth? People want advancement, sure, but what people are increasingly demanding is that their work be meaningful and interesting. Innovation comes from many sources, so don’t immediately dismiss learning opportunities that may appear to have little to do with a person’s job.
See Related Leadership Article
The best working definition of company culture is what people do when the boss isn’t looking. In short, it’s the behavior, attitude, and atmosphere that happen unconsciously by default.
So is your company culture important? You Bet! Your organization’s culture either advances or inhibits success.
I use the word appreciative to describe a company culture where people both contribute to a positive climate AND take care of the business. Two meanings of appreciative fit: to recognize with gratitude, and to increase in value.
When the culture leads people to value their conditions and make extra effort to advance the business, the culture itself becomes an asset that increases the value of the company. Cultivating an appreciative culture is one way you as a leader, business owner, or knowledge professional can create and sustain an exceptional organization.
Here are some ways you can start cultivating an appreciative culture today!
Model Good Communication. An often overlooked aspect of good communication is making critical information not only available, but easy to find and easy to understand. Be a source of information that is clear, relevant, and timely.
Listen. To fully listen, whether you agree or not, sends a powerful message that the speaker has value. When people know they’ve been heard, they’re more apt to support your decisions. Does the organization’s leadership have a routine of listening to employee ideas?
Encourage Real Conversation. People can’t talk up an organization unless they are free to talk it down. Are meetings centered on meaningful discussion or simply reporting? Having healthy conversations in formal settings is a sure-fire way to cultivate healthy informal conversations.
Set the Emotional Tone. Emotions are contagious, so anyone's contribution to an appreciative attitude makes a difference. The example set by leadership, however, almost always carries the most weight. Set the example. Bonus points for fun and humor.
Seed Appreciation. It’s easy to get so caught up in problems that what is working goes unrecognized. Are you acknowledging what is going well? Does the organization frequently let people know when they’re doing a good job? Does the organization communicate how a person’s work contributes to the overall success of the company? Do you routinely share success stories, or war stories?
Hire the Right Attitude. Ensure your recruitment, interviewing, and selection process focuses on attitudinal and interpersonal skills, and not simply technical and professional abilities.
Provide Development Opportunities That Matter. Does the organization provide regular opportunities for learning and growth? People want advancement, sure, but what people are increasingly demanding is that their work be meaningful and interesting. Innovation comes from many sources, so don’t immediately dismiss learning opportunities that may appear to have little to do with a person’s job.
See Related Leadership Article
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