Are Leaders Responsible for a Company’s Culture?
In today's business world, leadership and culture are very often mentioned in the same breath. In most organizations, leadership is seen as the most important factor when it comes to building a company's culture. In fact, there are many who believe that leadership is what makes or breaks a company’s culture. This is because a company's culture is the sum of its leadership practices. Which, in turn influence the way employees behave and think about their work. The concept of culture is not uncommon in the business world. Most leaders and organizations acknowledge the importance of culture in the workplace.
Leadership and Resiliency!
As a small business owner, you'll inevitably face challenges that can feel overwhelming and insurmountable. But if you want to keep your company afloat, you need resilience—the ability to bounce back from those challenges and keep moving forward. It's a tricky situation to face, and it's one that every leader needs to confront. Leaders are often expected to be resilient and optimistic in the face of uncertainty and failure. But what does it mean to be resilient? And how can you make sure your team can bounce back after a setback? While many organizations have been quick to adopt the
How Leaders Can Improve Both Team and Individual Accountability
The term “Accountability” has grown in popularity in the workplace over the last few years. And with many teams working remotely (at least part time) for the foreseeable future, accountability and responsibility are becoming increasingly important. But what exactly do we mean by “accountability”? Namely, we are all responsible for our actions, ownership of tasks, attitude, behavior, and decision-making. If accountability is part of a workplace culture, you can expect an increase in morale, productivity, and commitment to work. (No, really!) Employees who take pride in their work, who see how they are an integral part of the team, want
Leadership and Decision Making – 6 ways to make better, faster decisions
Making wrong decisions can be deadly. You could lose clients, or your reputation could take a nosedive, or you could literally go out of business. To make good decisions in a business, you need to have a culture of quality that permeates every aspect of business. This way, decision-making can be carried out with minimal risk and maximum reward. In spite of the importance of making high-quality decisions, the reality is that some small businesses make poor choices. The reasons for this are varied. For example, they may be under pressure to make a quick decision without having all the
Leadership and Hybrid Teams – transitioning from the temporary to the permanent
Even though remote work isn't a new concept, the forced transition to it has been difficult for some companies. And while some companies are eager to return to in-person collaboration, others are finding they prefer having remote flexibility. But what if you could have the best of both worlds? More than half of employees prefer to work remotely at least three days per week, according to a recent study by McKinsey. More and more workers are choosing to work from home and businesses are seeing the benefits of a hybrid team model. However, the challenge for many businesses is how
Culture in Family Businesses – Dynamic or Disastrous?
Never put business before family. ~ Walt Disney Family businesses have the potential to provide employees with a sense of belonging and community. Thus, creating a different kind of loyalty that many employees simply don’t experience at other companies. While this seems like it could be a recipe for success, it comes with its own set of challenges that many companies never have to face. Despite their importance to the global economy and their prevalence across industries, family businesses can be just as susceptible to problems as non-family businesses. One of those issues is cultural. Family businesses can be trickier
Succession Can Be Successful!
Family businesses represent a significant component of the American economy. Approximately 90% of businesses in the United States are family-owned. Many of these family businesses are successful and have been operated successfully within families for several generations. However, as with any business that is passed down from one generation to another, some do not survive for various reasons, including lack of cohesive succession planning. How often have you asked a business owner this question: "Who will take over when you retire?" Their response may be something like, "Well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." This is the
Family Businesses – Powerful, Thoughtful, Innovative
We family businesses make up about 90% of American businesses, according to the US Bureau of the Census. We are responsible for 60% of the US employment and over half (57%) of the Gross National Product! A family business is classified as a company with two or more family members in leadership roles, and in which the family retains a majority of the ownership or control of the business. Some family-owned businesses employ just a few people, others employ thousands, and into Fortune 500 companies. So, I thought I’d share some of family business statistics! Family Businesses Are: Family-owned businesses
Are You Getting What You Want from Your Business?
As a Professional EOS(R) Implementer I help companies and their leadership teams get what they want from their business. What does that mean, exactly? How does your company look? When you walk in, do you see people smiling, helping each other, getting their work done on time and well? Do you see people excited about hitting or beating their “numbers” (their KPIs, their metrics, their goals)? Do you see profitability? Do you see people “doing what they love, with the people they love, making a significant difference, being compensated appropriately, with time to pursue their other passions?” Or, do you
Ah, the Benefits of Processes!
What's the difference between an entrepreneur who's flourishing and one who's struggling? Why do some businesses succeed while others fail? It's not just luck; there are patterns—processes—that successful businesses follow. Process can be understood as the "how-to" of your business. This can be as general as an overall structure or framework that all employees are guided by, or as specific as the steps an individual employee must follow to complete their job well. It defines the steps taken to deliver on your vision. In any business, processes are what hold it all together as it helps us coordinate behavior and