Workplace Culture Green Flags
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Workplace Culture Green Flags
This week’s culture drop is about green flags. Specifically, 15 different signs that your company is getting at least some things absolutely right.
If all of these things are in place inside your organization, you probably have a pretty healthy, awesome culture. If none of these things are in place inside your organization… run. Seriously, get out.
Here they are in no particular order:
Green Flag #1: Leaders ask for feedback.
This one is clutch. Leaders must ask for and be receptive to feedback in order to continually improve, build more trust and rapport with their team, empower people’s voices, and effectively lead the organization.
And I don’t mean just feedback about the organization and people’s jobs, I mean specifically about how they are showing up and leading. Personal feedback about how effective they are as leaders and the team’s experience of them. There’s no better way to build healthier relationships and improve than by earnestly asking for feedback, and then making adjustments and improvements based on what is shared.
Green Flag #2: No gossip or badmouthing.
A huge culture green flag is an environment where people do not badmouth, gossip, or speak poorly about others. This also applies to silos between departments where teams don’t are disconnected or don’t like or trust one another. Toxic talk is cancer to cultures and teams.
Green Flag #3: It’s safe to make a mistake.
Employees feel safe to make a mistake, and to admit and own up to mistakes without fear of shame, criticism, embarrassment, or retaliation. Mistakes are inevitable, extending grace and supporting people when they prove to be imperfect is a sign of a cohesive, connected team.
Green Flag #4: Conflict is healthy and productive.
You cannot eliminate conflict, it’s natural and normal to happen from time to time. But do people resolve it in a healthy, productive way? Are people in control of their emotional behavior, do they address conflict in a timely, positive way with courage and curiosity to find mutually beneficial resolutions? If so, congratulations, you’ve got yourself a green flag!
Green Flag #5: Leaders have high emotional intelligence.
Leaders must have high EQ. In fact, people in leadership positions should end up there because they have high emotional intelligence specifically.
The people who get promoted and hired into leadership positions should not just be whomever has the most seniority or are the best individual contributors. People in leadership should be talented at managing and building relationships, possess a growth mindset, able to effectively work with and influence diverse communication and personality styles, they must demonstrate empathy, discretion, and good judgement.
Put great leaders into leadership positions, period.
Green Flag #6: Toxic behavior is not tolerated.
It’s a major green flag if toxic behavior is not tolerated by anyone, regardless of their title, tenure, or role. If someone behaves in a way that is toxic to the team, it needs to be addressed, corrected, and shut down.
Companies must be committed to this in order to have a great culture, and yes that means going as far as removing someone from their job after repeated attempts to change their behavior. Don’t keep paying someone a paycheck to ruin your company and cause your best employees to quit. Buh-bye!
Green Flag #7: It’s safe to disagree and speak up.
It should be welcome and feel safe for someone to disagree or share a differing opinion with the rest of the team and talk through concerns or ideas. In a respectful and appropriate manner of course, but there should be space and opportunities for differing perspectives and dialogue.
Green Flag #8: Vulnerability is encouraged and modeled.
Big green flag if vulnerability is encouraged and modeled, especially by leadership. None of us are perfect, so the willingness to be vulnerable, to be human, to admit and own mistakes, to learn and ask questions and let your guard down is important.
It should be ok to say phrases like “I don’t know much about that,” or “I’m sorry,” or “You’re right.” Vulnerability is key to healthy relationships and trust, it’s a must for great culture.
Green Flag #9: People don’t sabotage or resist change.
People being open to and embracing change within the organization is definitely a green flag. In great cultures, employees and leaders are receptive to new ideas and ways of doing things, they don’t get grumpy or resentful towards change, and they do their best to navigate newness. This is essential to an organization’s ability to move forward, innovate, and thrive.
Green Flag #10: People make their co-workers look good.
People intentionally strive to make others look good, they speak up and advocate for others. They are quick to praise, celebrate other’s successes, and give credit where credit us due. When someone needs help, others step in to assist. People have each other’s backs and look out for one another.
Green Flag #11: Diversity, equity, and inclusion actually matter.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion aren’t just talked about, they’re prioritized and celebrated. There is awareness, dialogue, and action inside the organization that isn’t just for show. Organizations ask “What does DE&I mean for us here, and how do we honor and incorporate those in a tangible way on our team and inside our systems, processes, and company?”
Diversity is not just about race and gender; it’s about personality types, communication styles, socioeconomic backgrounds, physical ability, neurodiversity, and so much more.
Green Flag #12: Development and training is prioritized.
Investing in leveling up people’s skills. Whether that’s job-related or personal, offering training and professional development opportunities to employees is a sign of a company that cares about investing in it’s people. Certifications, continuing education, interpersonal and communication skills, leadership ability, etc.
Green Flag #13: “That’s the way we’ve always done it” doesn’t rule the day.
Willingness on behalf of leadership and the organization as a whole to challenge the way that things are done and to innovate systems and processes is huge. Leadership must be willing to innovate, update, and improve the way things are done which means not clinging to the way things have always happened and business as usual.
Green Flag #14: A great hiring process.
The hiring process sets the tone for what it feels like to be an employee at the company. Being intentional about the experience through the hiring process is a great indicator of how valuable the experience of employees is to the company. Being upfront and transparent, kind, prompt and respectful of a candidate’s time, being clear and communicative, being authentic and treating people like humans — all big green flags.
Green Flag #15: People are paid well.
Great cultures compensate employees well. People aren’t just coming to work to volunteer out of the goodness of their hearts and because they love the company. People are trading their time and skills for pay in order to contribute to the success of the company. They should be paid well. Proving that the people working to make the company successful are important and valuable to the organization is a gigantic green flag.
A company that pays the most it can get away with instead of the least it can get away with is an indicator of a probably pretty awesome culture.
To wrap things up:
Hopefully the organization you work for does all or most of the above, or if you are a leader that these are things you reflect on, prioritize, and make some good changes as a result of this list.
If none of these things exist in your workplace, brush up on that resume because it’s about high time for a change.
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This article was created by Galen Emanuele for the #culturedrop. Free leadership and team culture content in less than 5 minutes a week. Check out the rest of this month's content and subscribe to the Culture Drop at https://bit.ly/culturedrop