By MC Advisory
It’s the glue that holds organizations together through crisis
In times of fear and uncertainty, your culture is more important than ever.
These wild days certainly fit that description. Trump’s on-again, off-again tariffs, the Canada-U.S. trade war, and increasingly credible threats of economic annexation as the 51st state have created an incredibly tense environment for Canadians and Canadian businesses, including those here in Atlantic Canada.
The conversations around board tables in our region mirror those around kitchen tables. People are scared about the future of their jobs, businesses, the economy, and even our country. Our hearts are heavy. We feel–rightly—that we are under attack.
But there’s also a strong sense of Canadians coming together around our shared values and national identity. Organizations can likewise enable this kind of rallying around their culture, providing a crucial source of stability.
Culture is the glue that binds people together, and it’s as essential for companies as it is for countries. A solid culture provides clarity, cohesion and a solid footing for maintaining focus, productivity, and profitability through turbulence.
A strong culture is strategic
I’ve met many leaders who consider culture a soft asset, a nice-to-have. When times get tough, however, many quickly discard it to focus on what they see as more important issues.
That is a mistake. Let’s consider culture from a business perspective. Customers can be loyal to a company in behaviour but not in attitude. Attitudinal loyalty comes from emotional attachment.
What do I mean by that? It is a bit of science–let’s use an example.
Our left brain (logic) directs some of us to shop at Wal-Mart because we can save a few dollars–not because of the shopping experience or how it makes us feel. This is an act of loyalty in behaviour but not in attitude. Attitudinal loyalty comes from emotional attachment.
Now let’s think about recent weeks when we have heard “elbows up,” “not for sale,” and “shop Canadian.” How many of us are searching for the Canadian flags next to groceries, taking that extra minute to source the product we are about to buy online or looking for alternative vacation destinations? This loyalty, our newfound patriotism, is driving business because of our emotional attitudes. I share this because how we make people feel not only attracts business (and impacts your bottom line) but also attracts employees.
My colleague Drew Barbour recently wrote about the importance of understanding your “why” for business success. I totally agree. The most successful companies stand out because they first ask themselves, “What are we here for?” or “What is our why?” With this clarity, leaders can shape their cultures around these ideas.
Three ways to strengthen your culture
I know that “culture” can seem abstract, but as the example above shows, it is very real.
I define culture simply as how and why people show up. The late Edgar Schein, an expert in organizational management and culture change, states that culture is to a group what personality or character is to an individual. We can see the behaviour that results, but we often cannot see the forces underneath that cause it. (Schein, Edgar H. Organizational Culture and Leadership. 4e éd., Jossey-Bass, 2010).
A strong, clear culture doesn’t happen accidentally; it must be articulated and cultivated. And it isn’t a one-and-done exercise or an annual survey (although touchpoints are definitely part of building a solid culture). It takes an ongoing effort to measure and maintain it.
Culture is something you work on every day. Here are three of the best ways to clarify and elevate your culture.
- Employee Engagement
Employee engagement is the extent to which employees feel passionate about their jobs, are committed to the organization, and put discretionary effort into their work.
It starts with a survey designed by experts, incorporating best practices in research and data collection, ensuring an inclusive, ethical, confidential, and objective process. Once the results are in, the next stage is analysis, which may include focus groups or creative feedback sessions such as conversation cafes or art-based activities to unpack the results. All of these inputs inform the resulting employee engagement strategy, a foundational plan for improving culture.
- Workplace Assessments
Workplace assessments are a proactive way to identify what’s working well and find opportunities for improvement. Are there pockets of toxicity or unhappiness? Is something brewing that could harm your culture?
A series of standardized one-on-one interviews with the whole team or a cross-section of employees provides insight into the culture, gives people a voice in the future plan, and creates accountability for companies.
Following the interviews, a debrief with staff and leadership helps build trust because it comes from an objective, outside source. This is followed by recommendations of clear actions that will form your strategy moving forward. Given the participatory nature of workplace assessments, employees gain a sense of engagement and ownership for the positive path forward.
- Leadership Development
Culture is everyone’s responsibility, but that doesn’t mean everyone has the same power to shape and influence it. Leaders must assume an outsized role in defining and modelling culture to ensure it permeates the organization.
As Trump dangerously demonstrates, a change in leadership can profoundly impact culture.
It can be tempting to abandon or ignore culture when the going gets tough. Leaders need to be proactive, intentional, and, frankly, brave in the face of tremendous pressure. Investing in leadership development and coaching equips those in critical roles to drive cultural change and positively impact both employee engagement and the bottom line.
After all, a solid culture grounded in your company’s collective beliefs and shared values is crucial for getting through this together. Let’s recommit to what matters most and stay true to the best versions of ourselves and our organizations.
