Purposeful Talent Development: Does your ‘climate’ support positive change?

Asked for one word to describe this year, “stable” is not likely to spring to mind. Instead, words that have been aptly used are “unprecedented,” “inconceivable” and “unpredictable.” As a visual, this year can be likened to paddling through the ocean with one oar as you are jostled by waves, constantly turned in new directions.

During times of massive change like the current one, we experience a corresponding shift in our ability to proactively control our environment. As a result, staff perceptions of the workplace also shift. The more we understand these shifts and staff perceptions, the more we can adjust our overall climate and culture to ensure our culture and climate remain healthy, strengthening the foundation of our organization and supporting employee engagement.

In The End of Competitive Advantage, Rita Gunther McGrath references former energy industry CEO Bob Best, who said: “Creating the right foundation for your culture allows you to make changes as you need to make changes. Culture is the foundation for all success.”

For culture to be a foundation for success, it must be more than a message shared with new hires or an idea in the mind of a leader. Culture is created through behaviors that are demonstrated and observed by those within the organization. Culture drives employee engagement and helps staff connect to the organizational mission, vision and strategic goals.

 

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