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Posted 03/31/2020 in Consulting by Ryan McShane

Coasting, Growing or Dissolving; Look to your Culture


Coasting, Growing or Dissolving; Look to your Culture

Is your organization Coasting, Growing or Dissolving?  We can simply look to our work cultures for the answer.

How often are you asking, whether your culture is a barrier or conduit to achieving your goals and purpose?

No less than doctors and healthcare are practicing medicine than corporations are also practicing Business. We've not found perfection in either and while it’s no one person's fault, we must keep searching for optimization; the perfect blend of conscious design and a profitable approach. 

Consider this!

Organizations typically use protocols or best practices (of the time) as their guiding script for action. Doing so allows individuals and the collective workforce to understand expectations and while in the beginning it’s necessary to exert additional energy to make the change, ultimately we learn the “new way”, which quickly dissipates to unconscious actions with very little energy expended. In other words we can begin coasting. 

What are the costs of coasting as a person? What are the costs of coasting as a company? Leaders, we must sincerely and bravely dare to ask, “Is our organization coasting with the goal of stasis OR positioned to evolve with the times? Leaders, we must wonder have we institutionalized a growth mindset OR a comfort and conformity mindset?”

How many of us just want to coast? Why strive? Why yearn for something better? Accept what is, right?  It’s so much easier, isn’t it? OR, does this stagnate, mental-state steal away our individual and organizational spark, life and vigor?

The real threat here is one that exists in every person and consequently in every organization. So, what happens when stasis or unconscious, habitual action, "keep doing what we always did" is our end game? 

One cannot thrive when the goals are to continue to do the same things over and over. We as people are simply not wired for repetition, but require novelty to increase and maintain energy in our lives and spirits.   

The sooner organizations become more employee-centric, the sooner they will realize exponential growth. Employees automatically become more invested in an employer when the employer becomes more personally invested in them. Taking the time to understand an employee’s personal goals and values is an outstanding way to ensure (as an employer) we are providing the rewards and culture important to our talent. 

Practicing the actions that help leaders get to know their employees individually and collectively create the energetic bonds that lead to greater tolerance for complexity and adaptability; two central factors recognized for business success today.

The very simple and equally very complex matter at hand is that, most of our organizations are no longer aligned; not to organizational purpose or even what attracts and retains top talent. Ask any CEO today and he or she will tell you talent attraction, engagement and retention are the most serious and difficult strategic and competitive challenges they face.  But, you have the advantage of knowing this and now the opportunity to take action!

Listen, I get it. Change is hard and while you initially may want to respond with “no thanks, its good enough”.  

However, you may have noticed that when we get on the other side of a change we often think, "why didn't I do this sooner"? 

A consciously designed organization will reflect and be supported by outstanding talent, continuous innovation and a conscious culture. Consider standing back and evaluating are we coasting, growing or dissolving?

Remember, leadership determines culture and culture determines “how” business operates.  If you’re having challenges, look to your culture.  Then Leaders… it’s up to you to make the decision to address what you find!

By: Ryan McShane

Ryan McShane is the President/CEO of HR Evolution a local HR, Leadership Development and Career Consulting Company supporting individuals in career transition and businesses with HR, Workforce, Training and Leadership challenges. 

www.HRevolutionllc.com