Could This Be How a Person Feels in a "Stuck Organizational Culture?"

How cool blog "feels" for the employee!

Have you ever gone to work...and avoided a hallway-because the people in the cubicles radiate bad vibes...or you know Cavhksct are energy suckers. So you avoid the hallway...like the plague. You can label it in your mind....they're grumpy, complainers, negative, basically not "fun" people to be around. But you almost expect it---what work places don't have it?

Or is it the "dread" you feel when you hear someone else complain about an area, a behavior that is a drain on the staff. When you've made the connection with staff and they honestly start telling you how they feel about the workplace, the company....be prepared. Be ready to hear what they have to say, be ready to remember when you personally felt the same way. Be ready for "hard work". Likely the problem has been ignored, or it has been hidden, or maybe the company has been so busy making money or solving a crisis. You've "hardened" yourself to accept these feelings as just the way work should feel. The culture sucks energy.

... How it "feels" to the leader

Perhaps the leaders fears the daunting Petergriffin of sales goals, profitability, productivity, customer loyalty and employee loyalty... yet keeping the pace is harder and less satisfying.
It isn't hard to figure out why companies ignore the real descriptions of the environment. Who measures a good culture? It isn't listed in the annual report. But if you are truthful and you need a financial reason to listen to your staff-think turnover rate, attracting staff, think the next challenge. The leader runs faster, attempting to anticipate the appetite for more sales, greater productivity, increased shareholder intolerance.

Some leaders feel the conflict between the generations in the workplace. Traditionalists resent millenials for lack of loyalty; Boomers frustrated with Generation Xers for their skepticism; and Millenials feel Boomers and Traditionalist are too slow to change. The courageous leader understands the daunting need for the best and brightest employees now and even more urgently tomorrow. Courageous employees view themselves as unique free agents who can instant car insurance their choice to leave on a moments notice for a place which meets their needs. The leader is stuck and feels the need to reframe many of her past beliefs. She believes changing the culture can not be done with the same team meetings, canned employee questionnaires, exit interviews, 360 reviews...aka...suit talk. More of the same will likely miss the mark! This does feel epidemic like.

What next...perhaps its "elegant courage."

Jodi Wiff created the mantra of "Elegant Courage"-- honesty with grace and elegance during good or bad times. Her 28 years as a leader distinguished her special and unique problem solving abilities. Her innovativeness and creativity changed the company culture from ugliness - sniping and lack of hope to a warm, engaging, respectful environment. She believes the employee and customers are special and important to a business and that leaders must create the environment which "feels" hopeful and stirs the inner calling of employees to make a difference. She creates that kind of profound difference. www.lighthouse-leadership.com">www.lighthouse-leadership.com

Mike Krutza has completed more than 33 years in executive leadership characterized by innovativeness, courage and persistence. As a CEO since 1988 he turned a near bankrupt business into one of the strongest financial performers in the industry. His strong sense of strategic vision, integrity and common sense also changed the company culture from despair, confusion and unhappiness to a company described by employees as innovative, respectful and a "great place to work." Mike understands the need to produce business results as well as the ever more important need to create a great culture. www.lighthouse-leadership.com">www.lighthouse-leadership.com

Testimonials

Mike Krutza has an extraordinary sense of strategic vision and common sense, always focusing on a hopeful future for the benefit of employees and customers. He's innovative, courageous and persistent.

Bill Collins, St. Paul, Minnesota - CEO Agribank, retired

Jodi Wiff is the most unique leader. She always made us smile and think. Her way of looking at problems and getting the employees to find different solutions which worked for them were "unbelievable". She is fantastic; always helping us feel good about the choices before the board. Jodi is innovative, smart and tough.

Henry Steiman, Owen, Wisconsin