Workplace Culture Defined
Before we discuss the importance of creating a more accountable culture at work, let’s start with some definitions.
We define company culture as HOW work gets done as opposed to WHAT gets done. Think of organizational culture as the unique combination of the values, beliefs, and attitudes of your workforce that govern how the business operates and how employees think and behave as they accomplish their work objectives.
Our organizational alignment research found that workplace culture accounts for 40% of the difference between high and low performing companies. The right culture, whatever that may be in your unique situation, matters.
Once you assess your organizational culture to see where you stand, we believe that it is a leader’s job to foster a healthy, high performing, and purposeful culture that promotes and sustains business AND people success.
The Role of Leaders in Workplace Culture Creation
Leaders play a significant role in creating their organization’s culture. They establish the standards of behavior, set the tone, model desired behaviors, and make the decisions that drive business outcomes. In good times, they are the champions; in difficult times, they bear the responsibility.
Leaders must do all they can to guide the ship in the right direction.
Four Culture Traps for Leaders to Avoid if They Want to Increase Accountability At Work
We are often called in to work with companies to help define problems, point to solutions, and then implement them. Sometimes the problems are caused by leaders who fall into the following four traps that pose serious barriers to a healthy and accountable workplace culture.
The Bottom Line
A healthy company culture is one of shared accountability. Be the leader whose strategy is clear and agreed-upon, who trusts colleagues and employees to do the job right, who stays focused on business goals, and who creates a more accountable culture.
To learn more about how to build a more accountable culture, download The 3 Levels of a Culture That Your Leaders Must Get Right
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