The #1 culture problem in organizations A lack of authenticity

The 1 culture problem in organizations A lack of authenticityThe 1 culture problem in organizations A lack of authenticityOf all the underlying reasons that drama creeps into our workplaces and ruins corporate culture, a lack of authenticity is the most serious.We know the drill Have a policy for everything, make employees sign acknowledgments for all those policies, draft a statement about your companys commitment to diversity and inclusion and post it on your company website. Defend every claim of unfairness with your standard statement that your company is committed to an environment free of harassment and that you are an equal opportunity employer. Im not necessarily saying any of these are bad, Im saying they are rote responses that send a clear message We are an average company who implements average solutions.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moraAnd whats worse is a company th at says these things but means none of them.I liken a companys promise of a harassment-free workplace to a restaurant that promises diners poison-free meals. I suppose a restaurant wants to make sure that diners know they wont get food poisoning when they visit, but isnt a better marketing strategy to promise them an excellent dining experience?Similarly, promising a harassment-free workplace tells employees We promise to do the minimum or We promise to do what the law requires. A more effective approach is to promise a healthy and inclusive workplace culture. That necessarily means that the culture wont tolerate harassment, and it also means that employees will be respected, developed, and provided with opportunities to thrive.Heres a common scenarioCompany We have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to sexual harassment.Employee My boss tells sexually suggestive jokes and makes sexually charged comments and at the last sales conference he invited me up to his hotel room. (Employ ees inner-dialogue This is hard to do, but I want this to stop, and Im going to believe the companys stated commitment to keep me safe.) Manager Well, was he drunk? (Managers inner-dialogue I have so much work to do, this is the last thing I want to deal with. And besides, this employee is complaining about a guy who brings a lot of money to the company.) Employee I dont know? (Employees inner-dialogue Is this person serious? What happened to zero tolerance?)Manager Were you drunk? (Inner-dialogue I mean, its a fair question.) Employee No. (Inner-dialogue Well, I guess I know where this is going . . .) Manager Okay, well look into it, but Im sure he was joking. (Inner- dialogue I better not find that any of this is true . . . I cant lose this guy.) Employee Um, okay. Thanks, I guess. (Inner-dialogue I should have listened to my coworker who told me to keep my mouth shut.)How do you create and maintain a culture that says what it means and means what it says? Try this three-step proc ess Define it. Live it. Color it in.Define it You cant live your values until youve defined what those values are. This involves more than putting a mission statement on your website. What does your company really stand for? Why do employees and leaders join and stay with your company? If your companys focus is on increasing revenue (for example, a start-up that will perish without showing profit quickly), then dont pretend to be a company that wants to retain employees for a lifetime. If you are a company whose passion is making the world a better place, say so and structure your culture to attract employees who buy into that philosophy. More than ever, culture matters to employees, often even more than compensation.Live it So now that youve found your companys true north, how do you make it real? First and foremost, walk the walk. Be radically authentic. All work on defining your culture will go to waste if your employees sense that it is simply lip service. If youve defined integ rity as a core company value, then act in all instances of ethical lapses. All of them. If you say you believe in and value diversity and inclusion, then be a champion for a comprehensively and creatively designed and deployed DI plan.Color it in Simply defining and living your values isnt quite enough. Be meticulous about linking your company culture to your companys purpose and passion. And do so in detail. Will you draft and distribute an employee handbook (yawn) or an inspirational guide that gives employees genuine guidelines about what to expect, and also tells them what is expected of them? Will you talk about your values during interviews, at performance meetings, during coaching sessions and even when an employee is exiting your company? If not, why not? Once youve made your company purpose clear, its time to yell that message from the rooftops every chance you get.Practicing profound authenticity is the first step on the path to a drama-free workplace.Excerpted with permis sion from the publisher, Wiley, fromThe Drama Free Workplace How You Can Prevent Unconscious Bias, Sexual Harassment, Ethics Lapses, and Inspire a Healthy Cultureby Patti Perez. Copyright 2019 by John Wiley Sons. All rights reserved. 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