4th of a Five Part Series on Responsible Leadership
Over the past three weeks we have been introducing a new leadership model called Responsible Leadership. The previous three articles covered:
- Introduction to the Responsible Leadership Model
- The Foundation of Leadership - Culture
- The Backbone of Leadership – Personal Responsibility
This article will cover the third responsibility of leadership – creating a Culture of Cooperation and Collaboration - otherwise known as WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS.
Experience has shown that most organizations do not clarify critical aspects of their culture such as what it takes to create an environment where everyone cooperates and collaborates. Very few people would argue the importance of cooperation and collaboration. But that said, very few companies work at creating a culture that allows this to effectively happen.
Think about it, how often do companies have departments that are pointing fingers at each other complaining that their counterparts are the reason for various problems. Sales complains about marketing. Operations complains about sales. The administrative team complains about sales, marketing and operations. Through all of this friction it is amazing that anything gets done, but somehow it does. But getting things done like this certainly takes more energy than it should and it is a great recipe for underwhelming your employees and your customers.
There are a number of keys to creating an environment where everyone wants to work together, and actually does work together. Some of the most important keys include the leadership team being committed to promoting teamwork. Second, the leadership has to embody teamwork in all that they do. They must practice what they preach. Third, the company’s mission, vision, and values must clearly define the importance that cooperation and collaboration have to its future and its success. The team must learn to communicate effectively and dynamically and there must be a unified focus on achieving the goals of the organization.
When an organization successfully starts to evolve and the teams start to gel, there will be many benefits. Some of the biggest are:
- Employee engagement and empowerment
- Increased creativity and innovation
- Exceeding customer expectations
- It is fun to go to work
- Improved employee wellbeing
- And so many more
It is important to understand that developing an effective and successful culture is an ongoing process that requires continuous effort and improvement driven by the leadership team. As everyone on the team becomes increasingly responsible, the culture of the organization grows stronger and stronger. At the end of the day, the ultimate beauty of a stronger culture comes in the results that the organization produces. In our last article in this series we will cover accountability and results in a culture driven organization.
If you are interested in learning more about developing a great Organizational Culture and/or Responsible Leadership, feel free to reach out to us.
We are here to help you create a dynamic and thriving organization.
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