Page 172 - How Great Leaders Build Abundant Organizations That Win

HOW DO I BUILD A POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT? (EFFECTIVE WORK CULTURE OR SETTING)

An Exercise

Walk back into your work space. Take a look around. Notice
the written and verbal messages, the faces of employees, the
layout of the offices, the attitudes and priorities communi-
cated, the symbols. Take the checklist from Table 6.1 with
you to help you quantify your gut impressions. Ask employ-
ees and customers to do the same. Are the messages being
communicated consistent with your company’s chosen val-
ues and beliefs?
Work environments matter. The work environment out-
lasts any individual leader in shaping how employees and
customers respond to the company. Positive work environ-
ments are fostered by leaders’ investment in the 10 attitudes
we have described.

Summary: Leadership Actions to Create
a Positive Work Environment
• • Pay attention to the work environment as patterns of how
things are done.
• • Regularly monitor the work environment using the diag-
nostic in Table 6.1.
• • Pick two or three of the items from your diagnosis
and focus on them.
• • Ask newcomers to your work environment their impres-
sions of what is positive and what is not.
• • Make public statements about your commitment to
shaping a positive work environment.

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