When it comes to your company or team culture, there is no vaccine. There is not a magic wand, special pill or button we can push to align our people and create a compelling culture. During times of uncertainty in 2020, every leader must remember there is no magic vaccine for their team, but also remember a few leadership lessons along the way.
SHOW NOTES
1:07 – Jason introduces there is no vaccine for your company culture and that positive change is to come.
2:40 – Please rate and review the podcast so that we can share it and grow even more! Jason gives back appreciation to those that took the time to review the podcast.
3:30 – Jason and his family are back to school and doing the distance learning now and dealing with cancellations of activities and events. Many people think that there will be a vaccine that gets us past us with this but there is always more to it than just that. Experts say that 70% of people would need to get the vaccine but only 50% of people say they would.
There is no vaccine or magic pill to create the best culture for your team. Shaping culture isn’t an instantaneous thing.
5:40 – For the sake of this podcast, there isn’t a magic pill to create the best culture on your team. Or a vaccine or secret button you can push that just makes your company culture wonderful and makes people be aligned. It is a dynamic ongoing process shaped moment by moment by everyone in your ecosystem. The pandemic as a metaphor, your behavior affects my behavior and vice versa just like every team and company culture is dependant on each other.
8:50 – There are three things that we need to learn about culture. 1. It’s intentional. It has never been more important than it is right now. Leaders rose to the occasion and went to the ends of the earth to find new safety protocols and lead others during this time. 2. Even though we are remote, virtual is what we’ve got. 3. Language drives behavior. Now is the time to revitalize that core values language.
11:24 – Invest in culture during these times. The best teams and leaders are doing that now. They say, “never waste a crisis”. Even though those teams and leaders are tired they recognize that this is not the time to waste this crisis. Intentionally shape the culture you want now. Jason walks through that 6-A process in his book Thermostat Cultures.
12:23 – Masks up! Jason talks about his work with companies in teams of 20 or so people to make sure that we are aligning our strategy. We need to make sure that we are engaging people virtually. Forbes reports that 79% of remote workers prefer video conferencing, and Gallop reports the highest level of stress than they ever have.
13:30 – We need to also take the time to build connections to engage the hearts and minds of our people and to make sure that they understand that they are being heard and appreciated as well. There is going to be time in the not so distant future where there will be power in congregation.
15:10 – Language drives behavior. Now is the time to revitalize that core values language. What is the culture that we need to create? What does that look like? Jason shares an example of looking in the rearview mirror and how we need to see on the road ahead.
Questions to Ponder:
- How would you articulate the team and company culture you need right now?
- What is your intentional strategy to help co-create that culture?
- Do you need support and a plan to help reengage your team?
Remember, there is no magic pill to help create your team and company culture, it takes intentional design, intentional action. We have to be the thermostat!
If you like the podcast, have a question, or just want to share your thoughts for about daring to begin please leave a comment below or please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts.
—
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.