You are the thermostat, and your team is your thermometer. In other words, you set the tone, and they reflect it. While most CEOs know, in theory, that they ultimately shape the company culture, few know how to bring it to life on a day-to-day basis.
Make Company Culture Your Priority… Daily
Steve Jobs famously said ‘culture beats strategy’. I would challenge you to take that a step further. I believe that culture should not only beat the strategy, but that culture should BE the strategy. (After all, who else is going to help you execute on that strategic plan?)
Company culture is not something you aspire to – it’s something every company already has. The question is whether it is created by design, or by default.
Chief Energy Officers don’t leave those details to chance. They make a conscious decision to define and build a culture that attracts and retains the right team members while promoting the organization’s values with consistent action.
Reinforce, Reinforce, Reinforce
…And when you get sick and tired of talking about it, you’re half way there.
One of the most effective ways to strengthen your culture and bring your core values to life is through storytelling.
If you’ve never thought of yourself as a public speaker, start now. It’s at the top of the job description for the Chief Energy Officer.
Observe where culture is being honored, or values are being lived out, and share them with your team in a meaningful way. From the client-facing accounts and internal wins, to team suggestions and instances of values aligning… stories have the power to inspire, motivate, and encourage.
Internal storytelling is an important way to show value in, and transparency of, your team. Your team’s energy will soar as you honor them in meetings, one-on-one, in small impromptu conversations, and through well-planned recognition.
What gets honored, gets cultivated. Click To Tweet
Turn Up the Stories… Turn Up the Energy
To help your team feel empowered and fulfilled in their roles, start by evaluating your own energy and enthusiasm.
If you’re feeling burnt out, it shows. Even if you think it doesn’t.
The beauty of storytelling is that it helps you stay focused on the good, and feeds your energy at the same time. By not only walking the walk, but also talking the talk through stories, you are “setting the temperature” in the office that you want to see reflected.
Project the energy you want to see, Chief.
