Organizational Culture – Instilling Confidence, Inspiring Hope, Creating Leaders Who Make a Difference

Welcome to Week 8 of the SOS Leadership Blog Series:

Creating a Positive Organizational Culture

This is the final blog in our series about engaging employees, boosting morale, and creating a dynamic culture. A HUGE thank you to our fantastic guest bloggers, some of the best and brightest HR folks around! Don’t forget to follow SOS Leadership on Twitter and like us on Facebook to keep up-to-date on future blog posts! Happy Friday!!!

Today SOS Leadership Partner, Amber Fogarty, is wrapping up the blog series with a post entitled, “Organizational Culture – Instilling Confidence, Inspiring Hope, Creating Leaders Who Make a Difference.” You can follow Amber on Twitter @afogarty2005

This blog series has exceeded my expectations. The posts over the last 8 weeks have been thought-provoking, motivating, and, at times, controversial. Together we have explored organizational culture from many perspectives.

Here are a few of the highlights:

• Culture is one of the biggest influencers on the success of a team, an organization, or even a family.
• Your culture is a reflection of your people.
• Culture is both a product and a process. It’s the what we do and how we do it.
• It’s the values and beliefs, the attitudes and standards, the moods and worldviews of the people in the group.
• The culture determines how employees act, how motivated and engaged they are, how they contribute to teams, how they solve problems, how they produce results, and ultimately how they serve clients.
• It’s about connectedness and organizations accepting their employees for who they are.
• The most successful leaders in an organization recognize the culture of which they are a part and can adapt as necessary, and that includes knowing when to offer praise to a team, share an uplifting story, or tell a silly joke.
• Leadership, problem solving, and conflict resolution are important elements in creating a positive team culture.
• Organizations need to be passionate about developing their employees because they deserve it. It increases their self-worth, their value to the organization and to your constituents.
• Culture is about development and growth. Is your company committed to helping employees develop into leaders? Is your organization committed to growth? Not just growth in the numbers, but the individual growth and professional development of each team member?

We were reminded that our people have tremendous leadership potential and encouraged to empower them to reach their full potential. We were challenged to consider what we can do differently to make our work environment a better place.

From my perspective, creating a positive organizational culture is about these three things:

1. Instilling Confidence

2. Inspiring Hope

3. Creating Leaders Who Make a Difference

Let’s strive to instill confidence in the organization as a whole, in its mission, its vision for the future, and its leadership. And let’s not forget to instill self-confidence in each of our employees. Who wouldn’t want to work for a visionary organization with strong, ethical leadership that builds confidence and believes in its people?

Let’s strive to inspire hope that organizational change is always possible. Let’s remind ourselves daily of one of the highest callings of leadership, as eloquently communicated by Napoleon Bonaparte: “A leader is a dealer in hope.” We all want to be inspired. We long for something to believe in, someone to believe, and to have someone believe in us!

Lastly, let’s strive to create leaders who make a difference. Let’s build an organizational culture that empowers people and offers them opportunities for growth. Let’s create a culture of lifelong learning, where team members at all levels receive the gift of personal development. This is one of the surest ways to engage employees, boost morale, and build a dynamic culture!

What else would you add to this list? What does organizational culture mean to you? I look forward to your comments.

Timing is Everything: 20 Questions to See if the Time is Right

These words of wisdom from Ecclesiastes ring true both personally and professionally: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…”

Is the time right for you? For what, you ask? Here are 20 Questions to ponder as you reflect on what time it is in your life. Enjoy!

1. Is the time right for you to step into a leadership role?

2. Is the time right for you to learn something new?

3. Is the time right for you to thank someone for making a difference in your life?

4. Is the time right for you to make a difference in someone else’s life?

5. Is the time right for you to change?

6. Is the time right for you to find a coach?

7. Is the time right for you to offer a word of encouragement?

8. Is the time right for you to stop sabotaging yourself?

9. Is the time right for you to start believing in yourself?

10. Is the time right for you to clarify your priorities?

11. Is the time right for you to come to a deeper understanding of what matters most in your life?

12. Is the time right for you to look for a new job?

13. Is the time right for you to go back to school?

14. Is the time right for you to stop talking about getting healthy and start doing it?

15. Is the time right for you to be a mentor?

16. Is the time right for you to reach out to a friend in need?

17. Is the time right for you to forgive?

18. Is the time right for you to move on?

19. Is the time right for you to start counting your blessings?

20. Is the time right for you to set written goals and start working to achieve them?

Only YOU can know when the time is right to take action. Perhaps today is the day.

Organizational Culture—You Do Make a Difference

Welcome to Week 7 of the SOS Leadership Blog Series:

Creating a Positive Organizational Culture

Next week we'll wrap up our blog series about engaging employees, boosting morale, and creating a dynamic culture. We have an awesome lineup of guest bloggers, some of the best and brightest HR folks around! Come back each Friday to hear their words of wisdom. If you need to be reminded, follow SOS Leadership on Twitter and like us on Facebook, and we'll let you know when the blogs are posted! Happy Friday!!!

Today's inspirational blog post entitled Organizational Culture-You Do Make a Difference is by Alicia Robertson, MSOLE, Director of Mission Integration for the Seton Healthcare Family.

When you think about the word culture, what comes to mind? Perhaps you think about different groups of people around the world or in your hometown. What people eat, what they wear, how they talk, and how they love are all examples of societal cultures. But what about when you think about an organizational culture, what do you think of? Do meetings start on time, or do they perpetually start 15 minutes late? Do people small talk in the elevator or smile at each other as they pass in the hallway? Does your boss email you at 2am or on the weekends, yet talks about work/life balance? Do people leave early or stay late every day? The answers to those questions exemplify an organization’s culture. It’s the “how we do things around here” response.

At first glance you probably don’t realize just how much influence you have on “how things are done around here.” People automatically think that it’s the leaders of an organization that really define a culture. While partly that is true, after all they do set the requirements for hours worked in a week, etc., there are more strong influencers in an organization than those who hold C-level positions. Organizational culture is created by each and every person on the payroll. We all have leadership influence whether we logistically lead a team of people or not. If you call a meeting to order, what time does it start? If you receive and email on the weekend, do you respond? Or are you the one sending an email in the middle of the night? What expectations do you have of yourself and others with whom you work?

To get to the bottom of a culture, you have to look at your own “stuff” and the individual accountability you have to yourself and others. It simply is the name of the game when it comes to creating or changing a culture. Will you continue to promote certain behaviors? Do you have the courage to stop those you don’t like? Have you become so acculturated into your organization that it’s hard to tell the difference between what is and what should be? These are difficult questions to ask yourself, but are a must before looking at someone else as being responsible for “how things are done around here.” Absolutely, key leaders have influence in some areas of culture, but the rituals, the language, the attitudes of the collective are much more influential than any one person’s words or behaviors…over a long period of time.

Culture is really both a product and a process. It’s the what we do and how we do it. For companies that have been around for a long time, it can represent hundreds of years of expertise and wisdom from what worked well and what didn’t. It is something that is passed down from long time employees to new hires. This includes the really good stuff, as well as the really bad stuff. If you’ve read Malcolm Gladwell’s “The Tipping Point” (2002), you can see how a collection of little bitty things can make a huge impact on organizational culture, on the glue that holds an organization together. So this simply means that people are watching you and your behaviors. What is tolerated and what is not.

In addition to keeping our self-awareness in check, and modeling behaviors we want to see in others, it’s also important to recognize the power of symbolism in organizational culture. Companies that share stories, or provide opportunities for play and fun tend to have positive cultures. People can identify with stories, tradition, and history. They think, “Gosh, look at all the great things we’ve done that will keep us around into the future.” It’s being able to see that a group of people have gone through this before and pulled out of hard times.

From an appreciative inquiry standpoint, when leaders of an organization focus on what works and what’s going well, chances are they will get more of it. When you constantly focus on what’s wrong or not working, morale drops and people find themselves in a slump. Evidence based research overwhelming shows that you reap results from where you focus your energy. Talking up successes and sharing stories of how you got there can produce an incredibly positive and motivated workforce. Furthermore, humor and play are excellent elixirs to ease tension and stress. A simple smile has tremendous physiological results; endorphins are released, and it just plain makes you feel better. The most successful leaders in an organization recognize the culture of which they are a part and can adapt as necessary, and that includes knowing when to offer praise to a team, share an uplifting story, or tell a silly joke.

It can be said that culture is one of the biggest influencers on the success of a team, an organization, or even a family. Every person is responsible for what this looks like. It’s accountability to yourself in the little things you do every day, and it’s the way a company’s leaders are perceived. It can seem like something out of your control, but it isn’t. You do have the power to make a difference, just as U.S. anthropologist Margaret Mead explained almost 75 years ago when she reported, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

So think about the one little thing that you do every day that contributes to the culture around you...what one little thing can you do differently that will make your work environment a better place?

Just One

Unknown

One song can spark a moment,

One flower can wake the dream

One tree can start a forest,

One bird can herald spring.

One smile begins a friendship,

One handclasp lifts a soul.

One star can guide a ship at sea,

One word can frame the goal.

One vote can change a nation,

One sunbeam lights a room

One candle wipes out darkness,

One laugh will conquer gloom.

One step must start each journey.

One word must start each prayer.

One hope will raise our spirits,

One touch can show you care.

One voice can speak with wisdom,

One heart can know what's true,

One life can make a difference,

You see, it's up to you!

Utilizing Attitude Tests, Behavioral Interviewing & Personality Type Assessments to Positively Impact Corporate Culture

Welcome to Week 6 of the SOS Leadership Blog Series:

Creating a Positive Organizational Culture

Each Friday for the next 2 weeks, we'll be blogging about engaging employees, boosting morale, and creating a dynamic culture. We have an awesome lineup of guest bloggers, some of the best and brightest HR folks around! Come back each Friday to hear their words of wisdom. If you need to be reminded, followSOS Leadership on Twitter and like us on Facebook, and we'll let you know when the blogs are posted! Happy Friday!!!

Today's blog post, entitled Using Attitude Tests, Behavioral Interviewing, & Personality Assessments to Positively Impact Corporate Culture is by Angie Cartwright of Potentiality Coaching.

Corporate culture influences the way individuals think and act, how they work, and what is acceptable and not acceptable within the company environment. Organizational culture is bigger than any one individual, and it impacts everyone within the organization.

Based upon various readings, it seems there are several components that influence the culture of an organization, including beliefs, attitudes, values, vision, size of the organization, processes, leadership style, management style, power structure (central or decentralized), rewards systems, stories, symbols, and rituals.

Attracting and retaining employees who are a best-fit and are aligned with the company’s culture is paramount. We have all read and calculated various numbers concerning turnover costs. The fact remains, turnover is very costly. I believe improving the outcome of a company’s hiring process positively reduces turnover expenses by selecting the right applicants for the job and alignment to the company culture.

For example, consider information sharing and knowledge management as an element under corporate values. If a company culture is one of hoarding and information is shared on a need-to-know basis only, instead of transparently and openly, there is quite a difference and consideration when choosing a candidate. Another example is the difference between a culture where empowerment and accountability is key, versus a polar opposite culture where decisions are made from the top-down.

There appears to be an ever growing trend of using pre-hire assessments during the hiring process. There is a significant difference between job-focused and company culture-focused assessments. In my opinion, having a combination of the two is ideal.

Job-focused assessments measure habits and preferences and predict job performance, whereas culture-focused assessments predict an applicant’s predisposition independent of the job. If you only utilize a job-focused assessment and learn that the applicant is a great fit for a sales job and job performance is predicted to be high, you only get a piece of the puzzle with which to make a hiring decision.

Let’s say the company culture is one which is very competitive and the decision making is not of empowerment but top-down. In this case, if the applicant has different values (empowerment and autonomy) than the company’s culture, which is very rules based, then he/she may not be a best-fit overall and thus possible retention issues and performance concerns could appear on the horizon.

Behavioral interviewing is another great technique which can improve the outcomes of best-fit with job and culture. As a Human Recourses professional and consultant, I am extremely passionate about behavioral interviewing. It is also a great tool to assess for cultural fit. The technique does, however, require training to ensure that the recruiters and managers have key questions directly suited to the job competencies and culture. We have all heard that adage, "The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior."

For example, if commitment to growth and mutual collaboration are cultural values, as well as learning, and you were trying to assess for sales coaching as a skill, then a great behavioral interview question might be, “Describe a time when, as a sales manager, you helped your sales team be responsible for their own development and sales improvements to enhance the individual, team and organizational performance.” Long sample, but you get the idea.

Another important tool in creating and sustaining a positive organizational culture is personality assessments. It is not just a great tool for selection but a fantastic team building tool! I am curious about how many employers utilize personality assessments - I saw a recent estimate which indicated 40+% of employers are currently utilizing personality assessments, and it appears this number is growing.

Just a few weeks back at a reception, several young professionals sat across from me in discussion about their firm’s utilization of personality assessments. They revealed they used personality type in their signature lines, and displayed their type on their hard hats and name badges. When I asked about their organization’s intention behind rolling out team personality workshops, a few shared their belief that it was to foster openness and trust and increase awareness of strengths, while others felt it was for insight to individual and team preferences and to reduce conflict. As a practitioner of MBTI®, I reinforced the value I feel personality assessments bring to individuals, teams and organizations.

I am interested in current trends among companies utilizing personality assessments to enhance and sustain culture. Knowing an individual’s preferences helps with not only individual insight, but job alignment and job best-fit as well as cultural fit. Type provides everything from fostering exchange of views to discovering individual and team strengths and preferences, as well as improving communications and reducing conflict. Leadership, problem solving, and conflict resolution are important elements in creating a positive team culture.

I agree with the many experts who assert that utilizing various attitude tests, behavioral interviewing, and personality assessments can save candidates as well as companies time and money. I personally believe these tools can be very valuable in creating a positive organizational culture.

What are your thoughts about attitude tests, behavioral interviewing, and utilization of personality type? Do you see these as ingredients to positively shaping and sustaining a positive organizational culture? Or do you have an alternative view or experience you would like to share? I look forward to your comments.

About Angie Cartwright

Angie Cartwright is the owner of Potentiality Coaching & Consulting. She has been a practicing HR professional for over 10 years, including both international and domestic experience. She has worked in multiple industries including retail, health, non-profit, real-estate, and telecoms. Angie has consulted with retail, non-profit, and the government. She has a Masters in Human Resource Management and a Bachelors of Science in Marketing. To learn more about Angie, visit www.potentialitycoaching.com or LinkedIn.

Creating a Great Corporate Culture

Welcome to Week 5 of the SOS Leadership Blog Series:

Creating a Positive Organizational Culture

Each Friday for the next 4 weeks, we'll be blogging about engaging employees, boosting morale, and creating a dynamic culture. We have an awesome lineup of guest bloggers, some of the best and brightest HR folks around! Come back each Friday to hear their words of wisdom. If you need to be reminded, followSOS Leadership on Twitter and like us on Facebook, and we'll let you know when the blogs are posted! Happy Friday!!!

Today's thought-provoking blog post, entitled Creating a Great Corporate Culture, is by Rackspace's Head of Culture Branding, Michael Long!

Corporate culture is a funny topic…everyone in the HR industry seems to be talking about it, but few have defined what it means for their organizations. Instead, we are given example after example of what good looks like. But, is that “good” the same for your company or your culture?

What is corporate culture anyway and why does it matter?

Who creates it and who is responsible for it?

Why is it so hard to explain?

Why do we try?

The truth is, corporate culture is a hard thing to nail down. It changes quickly. By the time you get to some sort of definition, something changes and you are forced to redefine. How can you possibly present an authentic picture of what it means to be a part of an organization when elements of the group change daily?

At Rackspace, our culture is constantly changing. Since our inception, growth, technology, economic circumstances and Racker personalities have all played a part in evolving the essence of what it means to be a Racker and our overall esprit de corps. If I could bottle up the near palpable culture and share it, I would… but I can’t. So, in an effort to be real and real-time, I depend on our people to share the culture they are experiencing on our career site Racker Talent. To date, we’ve added 40 bloggers from 4 continents with an average of 2 new posts a week. It’s been an adventure!

In my mind, culture is about today. The events of yesterday and the prior years represent our historical context. For the Rackers who were a part of the entire series of events, this historical context is vivid and real. For those just joining the company, their context starts the moment they walk through the door. Both groups make up and influence our true culture.

The more I contemplate this topic, the more I lean towards the perspective that culture is not meant to be bottled up or defined. It’s meant to live and breathe.

So, how does that work?

How can a company have a “good” corporate culture?

It’s about connectedness and organizations accepting their employees for who they are. Quit hiring people for skill sets alone. Start placing values above all else. Are they a good person? Are they ambitious? Do they live by the values of your company? Then, let them be. Trust them. Let them shape the culture that makes your place of work different and special.

You can teach people skills, but training values is near impossible. When was the last time you witnessed someone transform from an egotistical, self-centered, mean personality to a group-oriented all around happy person?

When I roam our offices meeting Rackers and hearing their stories, I see a trend. People here care. They care about their co-workers; they care about their customers; and they accept the calling to help build one of the world’s best service companies. Mediocrity with these values is not an option.

We hire passionate people who want to make a difference. And guess what? They bring that passion to work every day. They help their colleagues, and they go above and beyond for our customers.

Want a great corporate culture? Quit defining it and start hiring the type of people who care about the mission. The culture will figure itself out.

About Michael Long
Since 2003, Michael Long has dedicated his career to talent acquisition. In that time, his areas of responsibility have included recruitment, management, training, strategy and employment branding in both corporate and agency environments. In 2008, Michael took a concentrated interest in the use of social media as it applies to the realm and launched his first blog, The Red Recruiter.

In 2010, Michael joined Rackspace Hosting in San Antonio, TX to head up global employment branding initiatives. Since becoming a “Racker,” Michael launched RackerTalent.com and has brought together internal bloggers from five continents to share the authentic culture of the organization.

Connect with Michael on Twitter (@theredrecruiter).

When It Rains....

How do you finish that statement? When it rains, it pours? Or do you have a more optimistic outlook? We talk to people often about the importance of attitude. We get into in-depth discussions about whether people are more positive or negative by nature. Surprisingly, most people can be pretty honest with themselves about whether their glass is half full or half empty.

My glass is almost always overflowing. I'm an incredibly optimistic person. But even I have "poor me" moments. On Saturday, I was shopping with my two young kids, and my sunglasses fell out of my purse when I was getting my wallet. They broke into three pieces, and the person behind me in the line said, "Man, that just sucks." I found myself instantly replying, "It's been one of those days."

As I walked out of the store, I thought about what I had just said. What did I mean by that? I was having a GREAT morning! I had a breakfast date with my kids at our favorite kolache shop and had just finished shopping for school supplies for the first time with my daughter who is starting school soon. It hadn't been "one of those days" at all! Yeah, the fact that my sunglasses broke was a pain, but let's be honest -- they were $10 sunglasses, so it really wasn't a big deal in the scheme of things.

My reflection led me to remind myself that being positive is a choice. It's not always the easiest choice to make, but I can always choose to be positive regardless of what's going on in my life. It also reaffirmed my decision to consciously surround myself with other positive people. We all have a few "Negative Nancy's" and "Donald Downer's" in our lives, and perhaps that's inevitable. But for the most part, I do my best to have my close circle be people who choose to find the best in every situation. It's one aspect of my ongoing quest to protect my energy so that I can be the best version of myself. In my life, when it rains, I look for the rainbow.

How about you? When it rains... ???