Strong leadership and culture are critical to building a better business. With over 40,000 hours of our lives spent working, the workplace should be a place where people feel valued and motivated, not drained or frustrated.
So how do you know if your culture needs attention? Warning signs of a toxic workplace include:
- Lack of trust. Owners and team see each other as ‘us vs them.’
- Core Values ignored. Or worse, values that exist on paper but not in action.
- After-meeting meetings. Side conversations criticising decisions or leadership.
- Stress as the norm. Conflict happens often and is rarely resolved well.
- Self-serving behaviour. Team members or leaders acting in their own interest, not the business’s.
- No buy-in to purpose or goals. Or no clear purpose or goals at all.
A toxic culture holds your business back. To build a stronger one:
- Develop Core Values together. Involve your team in shaping them.
- Define your purpose. Make it clear how each role contributes to delivering on it.
- Make values visible. Reinforce them daily and hold each other accountable.
- Set clear goals. Give every team member annual and 90-day goals aligned with your plan.
- Recognise success. Celebrate wins and acknowledge great performance.
- Communicate regularly. Meet often and give everyone a voice.
- Address toxicity directly. Don’t let toxic employees hold the team hostage.
Culture doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built — one decision, one value, one conversation at a time. When you lead with purpose and foster a strong culture, your team will deliver far more than strategy alone ever could.
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” – Peter Drucker