Open Communication Start by determining what is not working in your current company culture . Meet one-on-one with employees to discover their pain points and concerns . Ensure that you listen to each employee without judgment to foster open , honest lines of communication . This will allow you to truly understand what is holding your team back from having the positive culture they desire .

As you begin to communicate with your staff , ask their suggestions for improving the culture . Once you implement a few changes , continue to keep the lines of communication open . Conte recommends continuing “ with monthly meetings to check on how things are improving and to track progress .”

Lead by Example Managers must lead by example . Warren says “ if you show [ your team ] that they are appreciated and heard and prove to them that no job you expect them to perform is beneath you , they will begin to come around . Once the seas calm , you can start to achieve the goals they do not even think are possible for themselves .” Conte agrees , saying that “ a leader will earn respect when they are on the front lines with the team .”

Past ISPA Speaker and customer service expert Bryan Williams says that the biggest factor that leads toward a bad culture is apathetic leadership . “ Basically , leaders who allow cynicism and negativity to flourish . A bad company culture extinguishes the innate drive of your best team members because they see how negativity is being tolerated in the workplace .”

When her resort was impacted by the economic decline of 2008 , Wendy Rose , spa director at The Spa at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel , Florida took on a management style that was understandably more focused on survival than culture . Rose says , “ Now that things are in a much better place , I realized it ’ s time to change my management style and that , in order for things to change , it would need to start with me and my way of direction .”

Positive Reinforcement An important reminder is to practice giving your team positive reinforcement and to make them feel appreciated . Melissa Rackliff , spa director at TallGrass Aveda Spa & Salon in Evergreen , Colorado stresses the importance of creating an environment of positivity , saying that “ a weak , negativity-based company culture has a ripple effect , creating discontent and mistrust as well as low morale and unmet expectations .” When positivity starts at the top , it will trickle down among your employees .

Once you know what you want , you ’ ve got to go for it . Follow these steps to hone in on the company culture both you and your team want .

1 . DEFINE YOUR MISSION Establish your mission , if you haven ’ t already . This should be one or two sentences that define what you do and how you do it . Once you ’ ve defined it , put it everywhere . Your company ’ s mission should be on the walls in your office , on your email signatures and clearly stated on your website .

2 . IDENTIFY YOUR VALUES Survey your employees to see what culture attributes are important to them . This way you know what you ’ ve already got going on , and what you need to tweak .

3 . MAKE A LIST OF EXPECTATIONS AND GOALS Every job description should have clear expectations and every team should make concrete goals . It ’ s important for your team to know their mission and goals .

4 . COMMUNICATE YOUR CULTURE INTERNALLY Constantly remind people to live the company culture . This can be as simple as motivational posters or encouraging outside-the-office bonding .

5 . INTERVIEW CANDIDATES FOR CULTURAL ATTRIBUTES Don ’ t just think about skills and experience when interviewing . Make hiring ( and firing ) decisions based on the culture you ’ ve established in your company .

30 PULSE ■ May 2017