Cultural Cohesion

New behaviors must become lasting habits to achieve positive, sustainable change.

Just as “remote work” became the phrase of 2020, “hybrid work” is on its way to becoming the workforce word of 2021. And for good reason. The majority of companies are moving to a hybrid work environment and are already rethinking their processes, tools, offices, and more to adapt to this new mode of work.

As company leaders grapple with what a return to the office should look like, they should take the opportunity to think carefully about which parts of work should be done in person, which should be virtual, and which can benefit from a mix, then can design toward that ideal.

What a game in which virtual wolves chase virtual sheep can teach us about organizational culture

A guide to developing the rhythm that will bring your team into full alignment and better able to achieve critical goals.

McKinsey’s Joanna Barsh discusses how you can become an effective and engaged leader.

Middle-market companies’ common objections to investing in leadership development programs reflect real constraints and concerns. These companies don’t have many layers of hierarchy and often rely on informal processes for talent management and development. But it’s important to overcome the objections, as data shows a clear correlation between superior talent planning and company performance.

Real Leadership is Built on Emboldened Empathy

The healthier the company, the harder it is to drive true innovation and change inside its walls. Some tips for staying hungry.

Finding excellent employees can sometimes feel like finding your soulmate — you have to meet a lot of people to find the one.

Why empowering staff through intent based leadership has numerous benefits over traditional management

This year I’ve done work that’s borne the least resemblance to the “plan” of any work I’ve ever done, whilst simultaneously being some of the most meaningful work I’ve ever done. What we eventually did with the client was in a different universe to our agreed programme of work, but it was what mattered most at that moment.

What’s your plan to not be busy? Can’t answer that? That’s why you’re so busy.

Every organization needs a reliable system of accountability to help ensure teams are actually completing projects and meeting goals in a timely way. In this piece, author Robert Reffkin, founder and CEO of Compass, lays out the system he implemented at his company. He calls it the Single Point of Accountability (SPOA) approach.

In far too many companies, there is the appearance of harmony and alignment but in reality there’s often dysfunction simmering beneath the surface. The intention behind cultivating a nice culture is often genuine. Leaders believe they’re doing a good thing that will motivate people and create inclusion. But often it has the opposite effect and the result is a lack of honest communication, intellectual bravery, innovation, and accountability.

A lot has been written about innovation, and I thought I’d read most of it. But at a recent conference on inclusion hosted by Workplace Equity and Equality, participants explored innovation in ways I hadn’t considered.

The idea can seem overwhelming to leaders, but this one thing can make a major difference.

Culture is an experience, not a policy

As a leader, you should appreciate that the differentiating factor for creating and sustaining high performance in your workforce is … you. While it might not be a groundbreaking revelation, the fact that effective leadership is essential to employee work passion, customer satisfaction and organizational vitality does raise a set of questions worth considering.

Especially in tumultuous times, managers and their teams increasingly depend on candor, speed, and creativity to make progress. Creating psychological safety — the confidence that candor and vulnerability are welcome — in a workplace is truly challenging and takes an unusual degree of commitment and skill. But it can be done.