Top tips for building a strong organisation culture

Like it or not, all organisations have a culture.

While it might be easy to define culture in nice words, it can be much harder to grab hold of in daily business, especially when times get tough.

A strong organisation culture is a driving force, underpinning a successful, resilient team. It shouldn't be ignored, especially during testing times.

But what are the best ways to develop and manage a good organisation culture? Here are some top tips:

• Get the basics right - sorting out the basics is critical to establishing solid relationships and building credibility, which become the foundation of your culture. All your people processes are important, from the beginning of the relationship until its end.
• Be human - once the compliance work is complete, treat people well, listen and seek to understand. There’s little to be gained by approaching every situation like it’s a courtroom drama.
• Have a clear strategy - when your organisation strategy is clear, it will shape your culture. You can bring on people who support the strategy, team members will know what to expect and what is expected of them, and management can be genuine.
• Manage problems swiftly - allowing behaviour that is at odds with the organisation's values and culture is incredibly damaging, no matter how good a person is at their role. Deal with issues quickly and ethically, and stay focused on the wider team.
• Be consistent and stay true - a good culture will help carry the organisation through tough and turbulent times. Stick to your principles, maintain standards, and resist looking for shortcuts when the pressure is on.

Remember, organisation culture is organic, built by a team, and influenced by many things, never just one department or individual. Leaders can seek to influence culture, but they can’t own it.

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