I read with great interest the recent Civility Index published by the Society for Human Resource Management. For the businesses surveyed, SHRM gave an overall score of 48.8 on a 100-point scale, indicating an escalation of incivility currently being experienced in the workplace.
The report could scare employers into taking unsound, short-term, reactive actions. I see an opportunity, however, to turn the discussion toward proactive behaviors that can help CEOs and business owners create strong platforms that not only weather uncontrollable external forces but, more importantly, create internal, enjoyable production.
We all know about the merits of a positive culture, but those merits never shine so brightly as in the light of a storm. The good news is that it’s entirely possible, and fairly easy, to brainstorm and build positive attributes—a mission and core values—within your organization before the trouble starts. The more challenging news is that it first takes time, commitment and 100 percent ownership from leadership, in particular the CEO, for it to take hold, be successful and stay the course. Then—and only then—will a positive culture of civility as well as actual enjoyment thrive and become a competitive advantage for you in your industry and community.
Leadership commitment to core values
To diagnose a lack of civility in the workplace, leaders need to start by looking within. First, team members need to be shown what “good” looks like on a daily, sometimes hourly basis, through a positive culture. That must come from two important actions:
- Creating a mission and core values
- Bringing the mission and core values to life, with the business’ leaders teaching and standing on them every day, consistently
Some team members may not have ever been shown positive core values in their lives. Some may have and can quickly adhere to them, but either way, you have an opportunity to teach a main focus (mission) and positive standards (core values), show why they are important (internal and external client experience) and demonstrate them at all times. You must publish these values throughout the company. Hold a companywide rally to introduce them, have smaller “town halls” to teach them, and—this is key—you and your leadership team must personally commit to them and walk the talk. If your mission and core values are excellent, you won’t mind doing so, and it will help you stay consistent and mindful of the importance of culture within your company.
There is no substitute for creating and fully embracing a mission and core values, which are key to handling both current opportunities and future challenges. Think of it as not just weatherproofing, but also building a house for all to enjoy in every season, and each individual has a personal investment in developing the infrastructure.
Recognizing cultural failure points
To ensure that your mission and core values are contributing to a positive workplace culture guided by civility, living them consistently is vital. These values should be easy to understand and show positivity when adapted. A critical component to their lived success is hiring the right people as leaders and managers, then teaching them how to hold themselves and their teams accountable for these values. That said, it’s also critical to avoid potential pitfalls. In my experience, the failure point that adds to incivility and prevents a consistent, positive culture is twofold.
First, the CEO or leader drifts from their own personal ownership of the mission and core values, and their teams are watching. Team members probably won’t directly address this, but if they witness the CEO or leader not holding themselves accountable, they will likewise drift in their ownership and responsibility of taking those acceptable behaviors forward. This is the beginning of the end and opens the door not just to incivility but to a downward trajectory of performance and waste, both quantifiable and qualifiable. You can delegate the work, but never the responsibility. Ownership starts at the top; it’s on the CEO to make it happen and help it endure and thrive.
The second failure point is in not giving your leaders and managers consistent training in how to teach their teams the core values and how to hold themselves and their teams accountable. Think less in the usual reactive terms of write-ups for poor performance (although that is a critical and necessary step) and more in terms of highlighting excellent performance and daily—or even hourly—huddles where the mission is read and reflected on, and a core value is discussed.
These simple actions breathe life into these crucial elements of your positive culture and help your teams to understand, view and use them in real time. Keep the communication going up and down the ladder and across all business functioning units. When you conduct site visits or host town hall meetings, speak with all team members about the mission and core values. Ask for examples of positive actions associated with any of the company’s core values, and share one or two yourself. Teach your team members the merits of this and how it creates the fabric of an enjoyable and successful workplace. Remember, not all teachers are CEOs, but all CEOs are teachers. Teams look to us as role models. Nothing takes the place of witnessing the leader of your company emulating what they espouse.
CEOs have great power. I challenge them to consider making their positive culture the most important item (on their vast list of most important items) which will grow their teams in the best positive light, create a strong company which withstands any political or cultural changes, and enhances and promotes a positive addition to any community, whether local or worldwide.
Go be brilliant today.
