Leaders must champion their desired culture, every day. To create and maintain a work environment where everyone is treated with trust, respect, and dignity in every interaction, leaders must model those behaviors as well as ensure others model those behaviors.

The problem in many organizations around the globe is that leaders pay attention only to results and profits. They don’t notice when people behave badly while pursuing results and profits.

Left to our own foibles, we humans don’t behave well as a species in the work place. We engage in politics and gossip. We withhold information so others don’t perform as well as we do. We celebrate our own traction while eroding the traction – and confidence – of others.

Those bad behaviors inhibit engagement, consistent performance, proactive problem solving, and serving customers well.

Those bad behaviors tear people down rather than building them UP. Bad behavior erodes positive relationships.

Great leaders don’t tolerate bad behavior.

In today’s episode of my Culture Leadership Charge video series, I share the importance of setting high standards for performance and for relationships – and I outline a proven approach for ensuring desired behaviors occur daily.

My Culture Leadership Charge series features short (two-to-three-minute) segments that describe proven culture leadership practices that boost engagement, service, and results across your work teams, departments, regions, and even your entire company.

Each episode’s “charge” is a challenge for everyone in your organization – not just leaders – to refine their behaviors and ensure everyone is treated respectfully at all times.

You’ll find my Culture Leadership Charge episodes and more on my my YouTube channel and my my Vimeo channel. If you like what you see, please follow me there.

View @scedmonds #Culture #Leadership #Charge videos on @YouTube http://drtc.me/ytube & @Vimeo http://drtc.me/vimeo Share on X

Photo © Photocreo Bednarek – Adobe Stock. All rights reserved.

How nicely do leaders and team members treat each other in your organization? What bad behaviors are tolerated today in your workplace? Share your insights on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

S. Chris Edmonds

Chris helps leaders create purposeful, positive, productive work cultures. He's a speaker, author, and executive consultant. He blogs, podcasts, and video casts. He is the author of two Amazon bestsellers: Good Comes First (2021) and The Culture Engine (2014).
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jane Anderson says

    Isn’t it baffling to think that leaders don’t realize that “do as I say, not as I do” has never worked? Model the behavior you want to see in others. It doesn’t guarantee they will emulate you, but the chances of it are better.

    • S. Chris Edmonds says

      Amen, Jane! Modeling will help but others’ habits may keep them doing “old things the old ways.” Reinforcing, celebrating alignment, redirecting misalignment, etc. is the pathway to real change.

      Cheers!

      C.

  2. M says

    I was recently terminated from a job I enjoyed. This was not the first time however it was the last time. I do not understand how a person can be great with customer’s yet be bullied, lied to and told by manager to let things slide. The culture at the job is one of vindictive behaviors, every man for him or her self and he said, she said. I do not believe it will ever change.

Do you want to boost engagement by 40%?

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