Profiles In Leadership - Taking The Right Steps

1. Culture is Built Through Actions, Not Words : Culture is shaped by what leaders do, not just what they say. Employees look to leaders to model the behaviors and values they want to see in the organization. Consistent actions over time establish credibility and trust. 2. Trust and Relationships Require Time and Investment : A strong culture depends on trust, which cannot be built overnight. Trust grows through the investment of repeated positive interactions and shared experiences. 3. Change is Incremental : Shifting a culture, especially if it has been toxic or misaligned, takes patience. Employees need time to adjust to new expectations and see evidence that changes are genuine and first lived out daily by leadership. 4. Culture Reflects Collective Habits : Habits, by their nature, are deeply ingrained. Changing the habits of an organization requires persistent effort and reinforcement to establish new norms.

The Danger of Shortcuts

Leaders who try to take shortcuts in building culture often focus on superficial changes that fail to address the underlying issues. Common shortcuts include:

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