How to Create a Culture Shift in Your Organization
What if we could create a massive movement of people who wanted to champion a shift in workplace culture? What if we stopped putting culture into the hand of HR? What if we all went into work tomorrow with a new mindset and attitude about our role in shifting culture? Would it matter? What it make a difference?
The word shift means to make a slight change in position, direction or tendency. When I think of workplace culture I don’t like to think of starting over, it’s not a complete overhaul most companies need – it’s simply a shift, a slight change in how they do things. Small changes will awaken the current culture and give people a chance to get on board. Small shifts will also help people adjust to change, try on new things and encourage risk taking. Over time culture can be changed and developed when we focus on one small shift at a time.
Culture takes a long time to build. Some companies are purposeful about building culture and other companies let it grow by by happenstance. Either way every organization has a culture. The culture could be uplifting, challenging, negative or all of the above. One thing I know for sure is that culture is never all bad or all good. Culture is like life – it’s impossible to do it perfectly.
It may not be possible to do culture perfectly but it is possible to shift it, to make it better. And the shift starts with you. It starts with me. It starts with every single one of us. In order for shift to happen in any organization I MUST be willing [we must be willing] to participate in making a shift, in seeing or doing things in a slightly different way. I must [we must] be willing to make a slight change in direction. I must [we must] be willing to let go of some of old tendencies.
Culture shift is a personal deal – it can’t be done by HR. It has to be done by the people.It can start at the top, and it should. But people must engage with the shift or it will never stick.
Are you willing to champion a shift at your workplace? Are you willing to make a slight change in the way you do things, they way you think or how you view origination? If so here are some small ways you can practice shifting your thinking when it comes to the culture at your workplace.
Ways To Be Involved In Shifting Workplace Culture:
Look for one good thing every day.
Choose to stop gossiping.
Be kind to everyone you meet today. Smile more.
Check your motives.
Hang with the positive people.
Stay in your own lane.
Let go of your own agenda.
Give up trying to be ‘right’
Look for some way to have fun at work every day.
Make a new friend at work.
We spend a great deal of time at work. Isn’t it worth some effort to make it a better place?
