The ultimate quest- creating a high-performance culture

Several articles have been written about this. I am reading an academic text on Reframing Organisations (Bolman and Deal 2021) and just read a chapter called culture in action. The book suggests the following creates and maintains group culture.
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• How someone becomes a group member is important.
• Diversity supports a team's competitive advantage.
• Example, not command holds the team together
• A specialised language fosters cohesion and commitment (in software engineering it is call it an 'Ubiquitous Language')
• Stories carry history and values and reinforce group identity
• Humour and play reduce tension and encourage creativity
• Rituals and ceremony lift the spirits and reinforce values
• Informal cultural players contribute disproportionately to their formal roles
• Soul is the secret to success

The book discusses how new members become part of the group as a mutual choice marked by a ritual. The undertaking of the team is made clear to the new member. During recruitment, clarity of the role, state of the team and the challenges. Is the company hierarchical? Is it always on culture, or are there any pertinent legacy challenges they need to know about. Of course, the level of detail is dependent on the role. But we often try to paint a rosy picture of our workforce. We then are subsequently disappointed when expectations are unmatched.

Diversity of people, skills and styles is necessary. Complimentary skills are essential, especially in knowledge-based industries. Who in the team is creative, detail-oriented, a risk taker, big picture, or a problem-solver? Which team members are persistent, who plays devil's advocate, who in the group has high energy and is your minister of fun, and who is the confidante of the team? Harnessing all these energies will create a competitive advantage and a richer work environment for those within it.

What consistent characteristic do the group want to be known for, and how do the formal leaders of the group exemplify this? I have seen this in practice. I once worked for a leader who had a coaching approach to leadership. Because of her style, the managers in her team also adopted a coaching approach, regardless of their default leadership style. This meant that the team were a team of good listeners and used good questioning techniques to support the organisation. The subtle approach was very effective in directing the team to its common goals rather than explicit direction by the leader.

Language is a powerful tool. It is a gift to humanity which enables us to understand each other not just on an auditory level but gives us a shared lingo to understand each other better. One common way of developing a shared vocabulary is through personality profile assessments. Once shared, it can provide a shared vocabulary, especially when tensions are occurring within the team. This doesn't mean that people are labelled, but it creates a level of awareness of others in the group and how this shapes team dynamics.

I will continue this post next week but as you read it, ask yourself how are people joining your team, and what are the expectations vs the reality, if your team is diverse if you are leading by example, what is your common vocabulary, and does everyone know what it means?