CULTURE: An informal combination of behaviors, values and attitudes that most people in the group take for granted.
Why is group culture important? Culture affects such things as the pace at which work gets done, how customers and outsiders are treated, the attention paid to details, or how the group deals with conflict and change. Therefore having a Positive Culture directly impacts the success of an organization. Which of the following aspects of a Positive Culture describe your organization?
- Relating to People: People in a positive culture demonstrate tolerance and empathy for others including coworkers and customers. They give people the benefit of the doubt, listen well and accept personal responsibility for their actions without automatically blaming others.
- Commitment: People in a positive culture demonstrate the level of interest, enthusiasm and ambition usually only seen on the first day on the job. They believe deeply in what they do and are motivated to do the very best job they can with an eye towards continuous improvement.
- Dealing with Change: People in a positive culture handle changing situations with hope, solutions and positive actions. They quickly establish goals for new priorities and see change as a challenge that increases energy and motivation.
How do you create a Positive Culture? Start with changing behavior and attitude of people in your group.
“Whether we find pleasure in our work or whether we find it a bore, depends entirely upon our mental attitudes towards it, not upon the task itself” B.C. Forbes