The viral story of the summer — when a kiss cam caught two executive leaders in an extramarital embrace at a Coldplay concert — underscores the critical importance leadership plays in the workplace.
Workers want to know they can trust their leaders. They look to leaders for demonstration of good character, values and honesty, said Lisa Burke, a consultant at Energage who works with executive leaders on strategy and employee engagement.
“What employees look for is leaders walking the talk of the values of the organization, because the values really set the standard for what the culture looks like and feels like,” Burke said. “That’s how you know you’re in a good culture.”
Employees will look for work elsewhere if they don’t feel a sense of trust and respect, Burke said.
Employers need to ensure workers are focused on a common mission and shared values. “They also feel when it’s authentic,” Burke said.
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That’s not to say leaders don’t make mistakes. When they do, they need to own them, she said.
“You should be as transparent as possible,” Burke said. “It’s acknowledging what’s occurring in the moment and then becoming forward focused, future focused.”
When dealing with a controversy, Burke suggests leaders become more visible and listen more. Leaders need to understand employees’ concerns about the future of the organization, she said.
“It’s a great opportunity for continuing to build that trust and respect and relationship,” Burke said.
The relationship between leadership and organizational culture impacts just about everything, she said. Here are key ways leaders support a people-first culture and healthy employee experience.
Expectations: Leaders need to communicate roles and responsibilities clearly.
Core values: Strong values keep an organization moving forward, while weak ones threaten its success. The best leaders establish meaningful values that resonate at all levels of the organization.
Employee feedback: Insights from employees help leaders observe employee engagement levels, gain a fresh perspective on what is and isn’t working, and find viable solutions to challenges.
Communication and support: Communicating important decisions effectively throughout the organization lays the groundwork for improvement.
Opportunities to learn and grow: Leaders who believe in the power of people-first cultures understand employees’ abilities and interests, and they align those with the organization’s needs.
Appreciation: Leaders who celebrate personal and organizational achievements reinforce a culture of employee recognition. Who and what leaders celebrate tells employees a lot about the organization’s culture.
Accountability: Companies operate efficiently and well when leaders successfully drive a culture of accountability.
Action: Good leaders give thanks for honest feedback and set expectations for the next steps; uncover focus areas that can impact organizational culture; set goals and spur improvement; share and communicate results; and measure and evaluate progress.
Inclusiveness: Leaders must be genuinely open and respectful to individual differences. An inclusive workplace means people have equal opportunities to contribute ideas and feel a sense of belonging. This increases commitment to the organization and its goals.
