By Linda Dulye, President and Founder, Dulye & Co. / The Dulye Leadership Experience
Defy the “Great Resignation” by creating a magnetic culture.
Leaders need to take intentional actions to build meaningful conversations and relationships—daily. Don’t confuse that as a nice-to-do requirement. It’s a must do, as evidenced in a recent Dulye & Co.-sponsored conversation with representatives from more than 30 Fortune 500 companies, major non-profit organizations, government and small businesses attending the popular Dulye Leadership Experience (DLE) Culture Chat.
The moderated, virtual discussion generated four key areas for leaders to act on:
· Lead by Example: Authenticity matters in the words and actions of those at the top of an organization. Employees are looking for alignment. If senior leaders’ talk isn’t underscored by meaningful actions, culture suffers. When employees genuinely believe that those who establish the culture believe in and uphold the culture, they are more likely to be engaged and supportive. “Starting with the interview process, you need to look for consistencies in what people at a company say.”
· Fluid Communication: Open, multi-directional communication builds bonds by promoting conversations and feedback. Team members want opportunities to be heard and have their ideas and perspectives respected. Managers need to take intentional action to ask for feedback and listen. “You need to try new things that build connections.” “Create an inclusive work environment where staff are encouraged to participate.”
· Trust and Transparency: The concept of mutual trust must be real and evident. As one participant explained, “Once I stopped feeling empowered or trusted, I lost my motivation and eventually decided to leave my company.”
· Opportunities for Growth and Wellness: Attendees unanimously agreed on the need for active promotion of professional growth, DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) initiatives and wellness programs in organizations. These are must-have dynamics for a magnetic culture. Organizations need to recognize, respect and reward the actions of their employees as they work through the constant and stressful changes of the pandemic-ravaged workplace. “I would like to explore concrete ways I can help organizations implement strategies to increase wellbeing in the workplace–it’s clearly much needed right now!”
View the Dulye & Co.-sponsored Culture Chat program on the Dulye Leadership Experience YouTube Channel. To subscribe, click here.