How do your employees talk about their work? Do they say, “I do this or I do that” or, are they speaking about “we”?
Organizations who use WE more often than I tend to be more process oriented and collaborative environments. They depend on team effort and process-driven approaches to projects. Their attitude toward work is fluid and flexible, but they recognize how important it is to break through the silos and work in teams.
I-centered workplaces tend to be higher on fear and lower on trust. People aren’t as comfortable speaking out because they are concerned about retribution.
We-centered workplaces tend to be more caring, concerned, and transparent. Above all, they encourage risk-taking and failure isn’t feared, but acknowledge with positive rewards.
Why WE versus I
The legacy of command and control environments breed I-cultures.
You did what your boss told you to do instead of doing what you think is the right thing for the business. When people talk about “soft skills” in a business environment, they are almost taunting the emotionally intelligent leadership most employees crave.
Soft-skills like caring, trust, and emotionally present humans create work environments that permit people to experiment, think outside of the box and take calculated chances.
Culture is the aggregation in a company of how people feel and behave. It is like a collection of all the mindsets of an organization. The language used matters, and it influences outcomes and productivity.
We culture tend to be workplaces where individuals self-managed and have a strong sense of responsibility to their colleagues.
How do you describe your culture at work?
We or I?
You can set up a time to chat with me about your marketing challenges using my calendar. Email me jeffslater@themarketingsage.com Call me. 919 720 0995. Visit my website at www.themarketingsage.com The conversation is free, and we can explore working together.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
