Making Good Culture The Everyday Expectation
What’s our number-one job regardless of where we work? Easy! Culture! Our number-one job every single day is building awesome relationships and experiences with others, and that’s culture.
Every one of us has the ability and the power of making “good culture” the expectation, not just a pleasant surprise.
Imagine you’re navigating through your busy day, deadlines looming, to-do lists growing, and energy levels dwindling. It’s precisely in these moments that we have a choice – to succumb to the chaos or to rise above it by consciously creating a culture of goodness.
It’s so easy to get caught up in the daily grind, isn’t it? Traffic. Bills. People’s tone. Poor attitudes. Complaints. Weather. So many variables each and every day. But here’s the kicker: what if I told you that by intentionally approaching every part of your day with a ‘culture first’ mindset you can transform not only your own experiences but also those of everyone around you?
It’s not whether or not someone is going to have a poor attitude with you. Of course they are! The question is how will I respond to it? Returning a poor attitude is like gas on a fire. Taking the high road and putting the best experience for all first, builds a great culture anywhere.
Look! Look how that organization responds when things go bad! They’re patient, kind, respectful, solution-focused, organized and efficient. Who doesn’t what to be part of that!?!
In the grand tapestry of life, we often encounter situations that make us cringe, whether it’s witnessing a colleague being treated unfairly, or perhaps being on the receiving end of negativity. It’s tempting to look the other way, mutter complaints under our breath, or worse, join in the blame game. But what if, instead of playing the bystander, we took a stand for good culture? We say, “We don’t talk that way here.” Powerful words, few can speak.
Everyone makes mistakes. I sure do. No one is exempt. Good culture is about making things right, irrespective of who caused the glitch. It’s never a bad time to do the right thing, or to say the best words. Everyone deserves a second chance. It’s never too late to right a wrong.
We’ve all heard the saying, “We become what we talk about.” So, let’s talk about creating positive, supportive, and fun experiences for ourselves and those around us. Sure, it might be challenging when exhaustion sets in or when the workload seems insurmountable. But here’s the magic – the more we consciously choose to infuse positivity into our interactions, the more it becomes a part of our daily narrative. We are building habits. We are training ourselves to deal with stress and difficulty with high levels of skill.
Waiting for someone else to come and fix the culture isn’t an option. We, my friends, are the architects of the environment we inhabit. We model the behavior we wish to see. It’s about making good culture the expectation every single day, in every situation, even – and especially – when it’s not easy, and times are tough.
I believe life’s too short for negativity. By proactively embracing good culture, we not only enhance our own well-being but create a ripple effect that resonates with those around us. So, the next time you’re tempted to grumble or point fingers, pause, reflect, and choose to be the beacon of positivity that makes good culture the norm, not the exception.
It’s not looking at life through rose colored glasses. It’s not pollyanna. It’s not toxic positivity.
It’s the solution. Working beside people seeing the best in themselves and one another, and working toward the best possible outcome… well that is an environment everyone wants to be a member.
Here’s to a culture that uplifts, supports, and radiates joy – let’s make it the expectation, not just a pleasant surprise!
Don’t hope for good culture, make it your daily expectation and job number one.
I slip up. How wonderful it would be if I could write these words as if they don’t happen to me, but they do. What do we do? Pretend it didn’t happen?
As much as I try to make culture the expectation, at times I react quickly instead of taking a moment to think things through. I know I need to work on that, trying to make it happen less often. That’s why having a team is crucial — they’ve got your back and bring in different perspectives, relief and much-needed support.
Dealing with these slip-ups is vital, especially because they often happen with the people we’re closest to. Balancing work demands can leave us a bit on edge when we get home. Too often our best self is for our colleagues not our families. So, creating a positive experience both at work and home, is key. Let’s aim for communication that’s cool and positive. When we fall short, and I know I do, be gentle with ourselves, regroup and make right.
Always forward,
Kelly
I am a professional speaker, and I would like to speak at your event.
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It was an honor to speak at The North Central Ohio Educational Service Center Administrative Retreat 2023 in Tiffin, Ohio this August to kickoff the school year with these amazing educational leaders. As an educator I always felt the praise from students and families for my work in the classroom; I am not certain that is quite the same for administrators. They work long hours and the messages they receive are too often urgent and not always as positive. Still, without a doubt, educational leaders such as principals, assistant principals, superintendents and all of the various Director roles are 100% needed and positively impact the lives of everyone in the district. If they are doing their job well, they aren’t getting the spotlight and their positions are probably misunderstood because they are intentionally directing the recognition to teachers and others. In many ways our educational leadership teams are the unsung heroes.
It was a privilege to speak to these leaders to kickoff their year, acknowledge their work, inspire and help set the stage for their best year yet.
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