Famed business leader Peter Drucker once said that culture eats strategy for breakfast. What he meant is that a good plan is meaningless if your team isn’t united around that plan. So what does it take to become united? As Drucker’s phrase suggests, it takes a strong, supportive company culture.
Culture is created from behaviors, which is why I like to say “behavior eats culture for lunch.” In order to build a strong culture, each team member must understand their own behaviors. They need to make proactive decisions in how they conduct themselves. Broadly speaking, a healthy culture comes down to growth and empowerment. Healthy cultures encourage team members to bring their full selves to work. Employees feel free to communicate and share their perspectives. They feel secure in the belief that no matter their background, their contributions are valued. Lastly, they feel able to forgive and be forgiven for mistakes. In a healthy culture, there is no backstabbing and betrayal. As a result, team members can speak openly, get on the same page, and be united.
Build a healthy culture, and your team can then put your company’s good plans into action.
