INTHEBLACK May 2022 - Magazine - Page 39
by consultancy group Accenture, has found
that, while leaders think culture is important,
the message is getting lost in translation.
Two-thirds of leaders, or 68 per cent,
say they create empowering environments
where people have a sense of belonging,
but only one-third, or 36 per cent, of
employees agree.
Lisa Stephenson, executive coach and
founding director of The Coach Place
Global, says one of main drivers of a strong
company culture, and feeling safe to speak
up, is a sense of belonging.
“When people feel deeply connected,
and that they’re part of something that’s
bigger than them, toxic and poor behaviour
diminishes significantly,” she says.
To foster this sense of connection,
Stephenson says leaders should give clear
feedback and validation, because when
people have a strong sense of self, they
rarely behave badly.
“I don’t think there’s ever been a more
important time for leaders to be celebrating
success, acknowledging great behaviour,
and giving really meaningful feedback,”
Stephenson says.
Staff also need to be given the opportunity
to upskill, while fostering friendships across
the team, to create greater engagement at
work.
“Leaders must understand what their
people are interested in and ask whether
there is a community project they could be
contributing to,” Stephenson says.
“When people can speak their truth and
tell their story, there is a greater sense of
belonging,” she says.
ENDING TOXIC BEHAVIOUR ONLINE
The COVID-19 pandemic has added
another layer of complexity to our work
environment, making it more challenging
for leaders to create a psychologically safe
space for a remote workforce.
Stephenson says our brains are on “high
alert” during the pandemic and more
vulnerable to acting out of fear.
As a result, the boundaries are blurred
around the concepts of bullying and toxic
behaviour, Stephenson says, which have
become a lot more nuanced and subtle.
“Now it’s more about people cancelling
meetings at short notice, or calling out
someone on a group email,” she notes.
LOOKING
AFTER
THE LEADERS
WITH SUCH AN EMPHASIS ON MANAGERS CREATING
PSYCHOLOGICALLY SAFE WORKPLACES, IT CAN BE EASY
TO FORGET THAT LEADERS ARE HUMAN, TOO.
CLICK HERE
TO LISTEN
to this story as
an audiocast
CLICK HERE
TO READ
an INTHEBLACK
article on article
on ethical
intelligence
CLICK HERE
TO LISTEN
to a CPA Australia
podcast on ethics
in accounting
This is why leaders
should stay connected to
each other, says Rebecca
Houghton, former
executive and founder
of BoldHR.
“Leadership can be
lonely,” says Houghton.
“So, your relationship
with your boss becomes
profoundly more
important, because
they are in a leadership
position, too, and they
understand you in a way
that your team probably
won’t.”
Your relationship
with your peers is
also imperative, and
it’s important to focus
on collaboration rather
than competitiveness.
“Without those allies,
you are going to end up
isolated, you will become
an island – you need to
find your new tribe.”
To this end, Houghton
recommends leaders
share their struggles
openly with other
managers.
“Hobnobbing with
other leaders is how
you get your sanity
back,” she says.
Most importantly,
leaders need to cultivate
a calm mindset that will
not only help them lead
effectively, but will also
build trust among their
team. The best way to do
this is to own your errors.
“If the leader is turning
the mirror on him or
herself and making an
example of their errors,
then everyone knows
who you are and what
you stand for,” Houghton
says.
“Then, you’re likely to
find people who will say,
‘Hey, so and so is doing
that thing you pulled
yourself up on last week,
can you have a word with
them?’.”
Managers shouldn’t try
to be the all-knowing,
infallible leader, because
staff don’t trust bosses
they can’t relate to or
who come across as
inauthentic.
“It is important to walk
the talk, and sometimes
we think that the best
way to set an example
is by being perfect,”
she says.
“But actually, what
people really notice is
when you make mistakes,
so leverage those
mistakes, don’t fear
them, and turn them
into a values-based
marketing ploy to say,
‘Look how I messed up’.”
intheblack.cpaaustralia.com.au May 2022 39