Every team and organization has its own cultural ecosystem that is dynamic, always evolving, and some are cared for while others are not. Jason shares characteristics that the best leaders remember to keep the focus on the Eco rather than the Ego.
SHOW NOTES
Jason introduces Season 8 episode 30 of the podcast, Culture-Shaping: Ecosystem over Ego-system. Welcome back to the podcast on corporate culture and leadership and thank you for listening. We engage thought leaders like CEOs, CFOs, managers, VPs, directors, and more for this podcast. We wish to create content that engages your mind and heart and allows you to step back and think and add some positivity to your life. We deep dive into today’s topic.
We can’t control everything but what we can control is our response. Still a lot of work to do but wanted to remind the audience what is within our control is the temperature we create in the organizations and teams we work with.
Please leave a review for the podcast It really helps the podcast to spread these messages out into the world. Please share this podcast with your organization, on your team, or in your life to help spread these messages. Thank you!
If any of these topics are interesting to you please or you want a deep dive on any specific topics, please reach out to us at info@jasonvbarger.com
Season 8, Episode 30: Culture-Shaping: Ecosystem Over Ego-system
Nurturing the Cultural Ecosystem for Thriving Teams
In this episode of The Thermostat Podcast, leadership expert Jason V. Barger explores the critical concept of organizational culture as an ecosystem. He reveals a striking statistic: a mere 20% of employees feel connected to their company culture, despite 90% desiring that connection. Barger emphasizes that when employees feel disconnected, they tend to focus on their individual needs (“ego-system”) over the collective good (“ecosystem”). He challenges leaders to prioritize cultivating a thriving cultural ecosystem that nurtures belonging and engagement.
Key Takeaways:
- The Galapagos Islands Analogy: Barger uses the Galapagos Islands as a metaphor to illustrate the different “species” within an organization: long-standing employees (native), unique contributors (endemic), and newcomers (introduced). Each plays a distinct role in the ecosystem’s evolution.
- Ecosystem vs. Ego-system: Healthy cultures prioritize the collective well-being (ecosystem) over individual interests (ego-system). Neglecting the ecosystem leads to disengagement and self-focus.
- The Leader as Gardener: Effective leaders act as caretakers of the cultural ecosystem, nurturing growth, eliminating negativity, and creating space for new ideas to flourish.
- Culture is Never “Done”: Culture is a living, dynamic entity that constantly evolves. Leaders must remain vigilant in their efforts to shape and maintain a healthy culture.
Notable Quotes:
- “The ecosystem of the culture is the most important thing. When that’s missing, people default to their own ego-system, focusing on self.”
- “Culture shaping is never done. The garden or the ecosystem is never complete.”
- “The best leaders and culture shaping remember that the ecosystem is more powerful than the ego system.”
Questions to Ponder:
- What steps can you take to cultivate a stronger sense of community and belonging within your team or organization?
- How can you identify and address factors that might be hindering the growth of your cultural ecosystem?
- Are you actively nurturing the different “species” within your organization, ensuring each has the opportunity to thrive?
Take Action:
If you’re ready to prioritize your cultural ecosystem and create a thriving, engaged workforce, consider reaching out to Jason V. Barger and his team. They offer consulting services and resources to help leaders cultivate healthy, high-performing cultures.
By embracing deliberate rest as a strategic asset, both individuals and teams can unlock their full potential and achieve sustainable high performance.
Links and References
To read more about the Galapagos Islands and this impact on culture-shaping, check out Jason’s book Thermostat Cultures.
For more insights and practical tips, be sure to check out Jason V Barger’s book Breathing Oxygen. This book dives deeper into the concepts discussed in this episode and provides additional strategies for fostering a positive mindset and effective leadership.
By incorporating these practices into your summer routine, you can breathe new life into your personal and professional endeavors. Remember, as Jason says, “The best leaders, teams, and cultures on the planet stimulate progress by recalibrating their thermostat together.”
The Upcoming episode will feature Seeing Beyond Your Mental Bars. Stay Tuned!
Please leave a review for the podcast It really helps the podcast to spread these messages out into the world. Please share this podcast with your organization, on your team, or in your life to help spread these messages. Thank you!
If any of these topics are interesting to you please or you want a deep dive on any specific topics, please reach out to us at info@jasonvbarger.com
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Remember, the best leaders, teams, & cultures stimulate progress by recalibrating their thermostat together.
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ABOUT THE THERMOSTAT
Conversations and micro-thoughts to engage your mind and heart.
A thermostat is proactive. It sets the temperature in a room. Controls the temperature. Regulates the temperature. But in today’s distracted, fast-paced and digital world, it’s easy for individuals and organizations to act more like thermometers, slipping into reactionary thinking, becoming scattered and inconsistent. The most compelling leaders, teams, organizations, families, or collection of humans of any kind operate in thermostat mode. They calibrate their mind and heart to set the temperature for the vision and culture they want to create. Jason Barger, globally celebrated author, keynote speaker, and founder of Step Back Leadership Consulting, is the host of The Thermostat, a podcast journey to discover authentic leadership, create compelling cultures and find clarity of mission, vision, and values.