Leadership isn't just about setting a vision and driving results—it's about defining and upholding the standards of behavior within an organization. Often, we talk about company culture in terms of shared values and mission statements, but the true test of culture is found in the behaviors we, as leaders, invite into and retain within our organizations.
As leaders, it's easy to point fingers when things go wrong culturally. It’s easy to say that the employees are not living the values, or to deem HR as the “culture carriers” within the organization. But here's the hard truth: the culture of our organization is a direct reflection of what we as the leaders tolerate. The worst behavior that we, as leaders, are willing to overlook sets the benchmark for what becomes acceptable.
In saying "It's not you, it's me," I'm recognizing that the responsibility for a healthy, positive culture starts with us as leaders. It’s on us to set clear expectations, to confront issues head-on, and to model the behavior we want to see. Are there recurring issues with accountability? Perhaps it's not just the team members who need a closer look. Are toxic behaviors going unaddressed? Maybe it's time to re-evaluate our own responses and interventions.
At Partnership for Talent, when we coach executives, we often hear long litanies of what they wished their teams would do differently. One of the first things I always ask is….how are you, as the team leader, behaving in that space. In organizations, one of the best ways that employees have to determine what is acceptable or not is to “look up”. When employees look up (to us as leaders) what do they see? When we modify our behavior to be what we would like to see, the results can be remarkable.
Let's take a stand. Let’s ensure our actions speak louder than our words. By addressing and rectifying the smallest lapses in our standards, we can foster a culture that truly reflects our highest aspirations. Together, we can create an environment where everyone thrives, and where excellence is the norm—not the exception.
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