Changing a Negative Work Culture
“Either you will manage your culture, or it will manage you.”
~Roger Conner and Tom Smith, authors of Change the Culture Change the Game.
Toxic work culture seems to be running rampant in many work environments. This week I spoke at an association where several members told me about the challenges in their own work atmosphere: “It’s like walking on eggshells around here.”
If the work culture is toxic, it sounds like this:
“I only have 30 more years and I can retire.”
“I don’t get paid much so I don’t do much.”
“How long have you been working here? Ever since they threatened to fire me.”
“I’m just here to collect my paycheck and survive the day.”
Experienced leaders know that changing organizational culture can mean changing the work game for good; growing faster and producing the results you are looking for. As leaders, we are creating on-the-job experiences every day that help shape the organization’s culture. The better our culture, the greater our competitive advantage. Leaders must create the “go-to” work force, the accountability culture. You know who I am talking about; those employees who will get it done and not make excuses.
Do you need a culture that has “go-to people?” Do you need employees who will do whatever it takes to get the job done now and done right? If so, here is the question you must ask, “If everyone in the organization continues to think and act in the same manner as they do today, can you expect to achieve the results you need to achieve?”
At one time, I asked that question and the answer was not pretty. I knew that if we continued with our status quo work culture we could not produce the results I was expected to produce. So, I changed the game and began creating experiences and stopped making or taking excuses. Many on my team excelled in the new culture I planted. Several self-selected out of our organization.
Most people don’t try to change the culture, and they get frustrated. Don’t be one of those people. Change is a process. It starts with the first step. If you want to go deeper into changing your culture, pick up a copy of Roger Conner and Tom Smith’s book, Change the Culture Change the Game.
Great leaders cultivate great cultures.
Jeff
