H.U.M.A.N. ways to improve your influence, relationships and culture at work

Overwhelmed with how to improve culture?

In my work with leaders and teams over many years, I've observed that changing the culture in a team, a department or across a whole organisation often feels overwhelming.

In the UK news just this week, we’ve heard that “being overwhelmed” was the explanation given by the leader of a high profile organisation faced with endless complaints about abusive behaviour which were not followed up.

Over the past 3 decades supporting leaders and teams to improve their culture, I've learned a lot about what doesn't work!

  1. You can’t read your way into a healthier culture, however many leadership books you have on your shelf. Read, then implement.

  2. You can’t measure your way into a more innovative culture, however many surveys you do and metrics you use.

  3. You can’t believe your way into a more compassionate culture, however many inspirational talks and seminars you attend.

  4. You can’t programme-manage your way into a more outcomes-focused culture, however many spreadsheets and action plans you meticulously devise.

  5. You can’t fire and hire your way into a more accountable culture, however swiftly you sack people for their mistakes.

Awaydays, books, metrics, action plans, disciplinary processes and seminars may all have their place, but they tend to be a proxy for the real work.

We can’t lead, measure, legislate or policy-write our way into healthier, more innovative culture at work without a key ingredient:

an appetite to connect, behave and communicate together in new ways

AND

use the power we have differently.

The conventional narrative and the received wisdom is that work culture is something bigger than me or us, beyond our influence, and can only come from “changing the system”, led by people with formal authority.

These beliefs over many decades are what have brought us to where we are. I find myself wondering: who are we expecting to change the culture? I often see people looking up the hierarchy. Someone “up there” must know how to improve the culture, surely?

Yet even some chief executives or managing directors I work with, or business owners, politicians, senior decision makers – sometimes despite their hierarchical power, seniority or experience – they simply don’t recognise the cultural problems because it’s just “the way things have always been”.

At times, these people are perpetuating the cultural problems without even realising it. Have you ever come across this?

Plus, many seasoned managers and leaders I have worked with feel overwhelmed with where to start in shaping a healthier culture. Their MBA, leadership programme or the stack of management books on their shelf will have taught them some theory, yet I see remarkably little evidence that this is translating into everyday leadership approaches on a typical Monday morning or Thursday afternoon.

Whether you’re waiting for the “higher-ups” to improve the culture, or if you are a “higher-up” yourself, with formal management or leadership responsibilities, there is an alternative!

Now’s the time to stop feeling overwhelmed and to learn how to bring about the changes you want to see.

The H.U.M.A.N. approach is intentionally offered as a practical, doable, actionable range of changes you can make.

Individually - to be an even more inspiring role model. And jointly with your colleagues and in your teams.

If you yearn for less overwhelm and more impactful, practical improvements, here are some options:

Together, let’s BeTheCultureChange™ !

Jeanne Hardacre