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The Role of Leaders in Shaping Organizational Culture
Leaders significantly impact an organization’s culture, performance, and dedication, as is widely recognized. Many leaders have spent significant time, effort, and money defining and expressing their organization’s values. They have also taken additional steps to regularly review their workforces to gauge commitment and engagement from their people.
While it is wise to stick with the mentioned approaches, leaders have sometimes frequently forgotten that the cliché “a well done is better than well said” is true – considering that those they lead pay attention to the behaviors and actions they display in the organization. Here’s why:
Leaders assist in defining organizational values and goals
Leaders of the highest caliber set an admirable example and emanate a sense of positivity and integrity. Or, to put it another way, they transform their values into company-wide ones. Its values, in turn, influence the objectives and brand of an organization.
Leaders build performance standards and active participation
Leaders are responsible for developing performance goals, and their efforts in defining these depend on their abilities in visioning, persuasion, and evaluation. It requires leaders to devise effective means team members can connect to the organization’s overall mission and connect it to the intended results.
Leaders set the example for life outside of the organization
Today’s organizations are no longer an assembly of strangers; it is not in any way isolated from the rest of society or reality. People work for organizations that support their local communities and encourage their colleagues to do the same. There is a big world out there, and it wants to reward organizations that show they are steadfast to responsible growth and societal advancement.
If stated values and demonstrated behaviors are in line and consistent, it will strengthen people’s belief and faith in leadership. On the other hand, trust, commitment, and engagement diminish if a discrepancy between values and behaviors occurs. As a result, leaders’ ability to influence culture depends on how they act and behave. At the same time, organizations that want their culture to endure must start at the top with an evident vision and superior leadership.
How can leaders ensure their actions convey the correct cultural messages?
1. Make clear the expected behaviors. Determine, explain, and share the behaviors that leadership believes will best support the desired culture to create a productive and enjoyable organization. Share this frequently and then convey it once more.
2. Value and exhibit respect. There is civility and regard in an organization where people treat one another with respect and consideration. The foundation of respect and courtesy is demonstrating concern, attention, and care for others while also recognizing their inherent worth.
3. Address unfavorable conduct. The most complex and crucial thing a leader can accomplish is this. Team members will understand that management wordlessly approves of and promotes bad or unkind behavior if negative or uncivil behavior is unaddressed. Hence, leaders must take action when they notice or learn about undesirable conduct, as team members rely on them to act accordingly.
4. Grow people. Rather than focusing on and growing an employee’s strengths, development opportunities are far too frequently compact to “fixing” their weaknesses only. When organization culture allows making, putting into practice, and encouraging team members’ development plans, it will not only keep them committed and engaged. It will also ensure that the organization is ready for the opportunities and challenges of the future. Such as when some of them will leave.
