“So, what is it that you do these days, Charlotte?” I get that question a lot, and I love it! It forces me to put all the thinking and processing into words. I have replied differently each time I have been asked this question. It is not because I am uncertain, but rather because a new piece of the puzzle falls into place each time. It is like tens of dress rehearsals in a row. Thank you all for contributing to my growth process by asking and engaging in what I do!
My calling (and passion project) is to create fantastic work environments for all! I will accomplish this by educating and training managers to become confident and generous leaders. Why do you all deserve a confident and generous leader? Because they have the capability to support you, see you, validate you and lift you up. They will never see you as a threat, steal your sunshine or punish you because they feel small.
What happens when your manager believes in you? It means that you can finally spread your wings and fly! You can explore! You feel safe! Heck, you can even screw up! Fail in an iteration process without freaking out about losing your job! Yaaay!
Ok hold up… I don’t want to screw up! I don’t want my staff to screw up either!
Well, this is life. Statistics show that sometimes you need to go out on a limb to innovate. If you don’t create psychological safety in your team, you and they will not dare to walk that extra mile. Iteration (failing fast, adjusting, keep going, failing again, adjusting, repeat) will take you towards your goal (and beyond) much more efficiently. Got it?
Ok cool, so let’s say you think that what I just said makes sense. You contact me, we go through your training. But then you realize that the company culture – which is a tad bit bigger than you – is not a safe happy place, but rather toxic? Well. I have been in situations like that myself. What I did as a leader was to create a safety bubble around my team. They felt loved, seen, and appreciated. My team and I delivered like mad, outperformed all KPIs, goals and budgets. But it really took a toll on me as a manager. Why? Because I was not surrounded by the same love and support in my interactions with peers and c-suite.
I became a protective layer for my team, which only works for so long. After a few years I got tired and decided to work somewhere else, where I could get this support as well. What I am referring to is a toxic corporate culture. And believe me, there are a few out there.
So instead of losing great leaders after a few years – let’s build a better corporate culture so that all departments can be successful. And at the same time creating a better workplace where the talents you have trained and invested so much in stay.
Unfortunately, it is not all CEOs and board members that fully grasp the culture of their businesses. Which is sad. There are a few KPIs you can look at, like staff turnover for instance. But also do employee surveys regularly, or 360 evaluations on c-suite. But it is not easy, sometimes it takes time to spot what is really going on. A few catchy words and a colored ppt-presentation presented once a year as a one-way communication does not define a corporate culture.
So, there you go! This is what I want to improve. To build confident and generous leaders and happy productive organizations. The tricky part in all this, is that an organization can be perfect. BUT since it is filled with humans with emotions, you can still face difficulties. For instance, what do humans fear most of all? Yes, you are right, people fear change. So even if you culture is awesome, you can’t take it for granted. If you are going through a transition, organizational change or pivoting in tech – you will need to factor in the normal human reaction to change.
The people that work for you are amazing, never forget that, or take them for granted. Give them the opportunity to shine in a safe and friendly environment – and watch the bottom-line skyrocket as well!
Congratulations Charlotte! Go get at it!