Whilst you might like to think that you work with adults and shouldn’t have to ‘manage’ them, the facts are that a workplace’s culture is determined by how the leaders let a workplace be run.
If a leader or a team of leaders is out of touch with the team and the culture of the team then anything can happen (and usually does).
Stepping into your role as a leader who empowers your team to make great choices, work ethically and happily and helps their team grow professionally can be incredibly rewarding. It can also help to encourage a fun, thriving team culture where your team become your raving fans.
Like most things in life, if you plan for a goal and put energy around it, it’s more likely you will achieve your goal. Creating a safe and happy work culture is no different. You spell out the culture you want to see created and put a strategy together for making this happen.
Having a plan around what type of culture you want to see in your workplace also makes it easier to see when the train is going off the tracks and some more managing is needed to see the culture closer to what you want.
Running to a ‘no plan’ culture plan? Then workplace toxicity can easily become your team’s culture. A toxic culture can see massive team turnover (which costs a business so much over time) and gives team members a sense of unease and unhappiness.
A toxic workplace gives your team the perception that the leaders don’t care about them or the business and gives them the perfect reason to look for employment elsewhere.
As a leader of a business it’s up to you (and your leadership team) to establish a healthy team culture. One where your team members feel safe to stay, play, perform and grow. A happy, healthy, focused team is definitely a team you want - they will help you achieve your business goals and personal goals. Your culture is tied into the very people who make up your team.
So as a leader you have a responsibility to create a healthy culture and learn how to empower your team so that they can grow their skills and over time manage themselves to be the best version of themselves.
No one is perfect at everything. Just because someone is a manager or business owner does not mean they automatically become an amazing leader. Effectively and empowering leaders learn how to be that way over time and experience and often with education.
There are a plethora of short courses you can take to improve your leadership skills and learn how to lead your team with empathy and inspiration.
A leader who actively encourages their team to come to them with issues and questions is a leader who is invested in their team’s needs. This doesn’t mean you’ll be in your office all day ‘fixing’ problems. You can put some standards around what you can or cannot help them with day to day, but the point is creating an open dialogue between you and your team.
This can be a tough one at the start, but it’s a learning experience. Empowerment does not mean just giving your team things or doing things for them - it can mean letting them have an experience which will empower them to act differently next time, do better, grow and learn. When you start looking for moments of empowerment for your team you will see everyday has so many opportunities.
A great step to take when stamping out any workplace toxicity is enforcing a zero tolerance BS policy. And make your whole team - even the high performers - aware of it and the consequences. If you’re working to create a truly safe and comfortable workplace for everyone you will need to make sure that one or two ‘bad apples’ are exited pretty fast and that the zero tolerance policy is not just there for show, you really mean it.
Give your team the space to share what they feel is most beneficial to them in terms of a team culture and happy workspace. Some of your best ideas can come from the most unlikely of team members. Make sure everyone in the team feels comfortable in sharing their opinions and views by living into your role as an approachable, fair and genuine leader.
Working on your leadership skills so that you can empower your team to grow and develop will not only help create solid team relationships and retain more of the people you love to work with, it will also help in stamping out any toxic workplace behaviour.
However this is not a ‘set and forget’ strategy, it’s a holistic workplace strategy that must be managed and consistently massaged.
If there is a slip up (either you as a leader or a team member with toxic behaviour) the best thing you can do for your team is address it, and deal with it in the moment. Don’t make excuses (either for yourself or your team member) and take action on it. The rest of your team will appreciate this and respect you for it.
Are you a leader struggling with balancing team, long term vision and short term strategies? You need a State of Play session. It may just be the best two hours you spend on your business this year. Find out more here and let's get started.
