Culture Work Tips & Tools
Workplace culture demystified with practical tools, measurable results, and empowering mindset shifts. Everything you need to start your culture journey off on the right foot!
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How to Launch a Successful Culture Council
What is a Culture Council
A Culture Council is an empowered group of committed team members from across the organization that advises leadership with curated recommendations to improve workplace culture.
Speed Dating at Work – Team Building Questions
I get asked all the time for team-building exercises. And, as most of us know, most activities for teams don’t cut the mustard. In other words, they’re lame.
But, some do work, like “speed dating at Read more >
Top 4 Reasons Why People Gossip at Work
Why Do People Gossip At Work
When it comes to gossip, these four reasons: fear, belonging, intimacy, and the desire to work with others who carry their own weight, are all things that Read more >
Team Relationship Building
Managing the Stress and Uncertainty of the Coronavirus
7 Ways to Support Your Team's Mindset I don’t pretend to know exactly what to do right now – especially as each team’s situation varies widely. And I know a few things about people, Read more >
5 More Questions to Support Workplace Team Building
Napkin Sketch of Bench Culture Champions, As you know, for ten years I’ve been creating emotional intimacy and camaraderie in a variety of workplaces. I’m now also in the creation of a Read more >
Go from Transactional to Transformational in One Step
I was making a deposit at my bank last week when the teller, who I don’t know, asked me if she could ask me a question, one to which she’s Read more >
Be Courageous: Give Clueless Leadership a Clue
The CEO walked out of her office, looked around and muttered, “Everyone has gotten so fat.” And then she hired a personal trainer for the team. Why? The team at this point doesn’t care Read more >
Improve Employee Engagement
Worthwhile Meetings: Part III – The Day Of & the Week After
Now that meeting participants' commitments are clear and you have prepared properly - here are the final steps to make a meeting worthwhile. The Day Of: Start on time. Review meeting commitments. Designate a facilitator (and someone to create a decision summary Read more >
Extinguish Exhaustion from Eggshells
I find that in my workplace culture work, there’s a tremendous amount of time and energy spent hoping and trying not to hurt someone’s feelings or upset someone. Likely, a particular someone. Perhaps you feel Read more >
Five Employee Motivation Ideas
It’s the holidays. For some places in the country, it’s cold, it’s dark and the temptation is just to curl up by a fire. Settle in. Go into our caves Read more >
Disruptive Questions to Ask in Your Next One-on-One
If your one-on-one meetings are in a rut, lackluster or uninspiring – pick two of the below to add to the mix. And remember – be fully present and listen like there’s no Read more >
Leadership and Management Skills
A Way Forward In The Midst Of Turmoil
Two Things You Can Do As A Leader Right Now We’ve been knocked down, the ten count is almost done and it’s time to rise. With Coronavirus, we’ve been face down on the mat for Read more >
What Would Grandma Betty Do?
She’s 90. My husband’s Grandma Betty is 90. And today we’re in Cabo San Lucas celebrating her - a woman whose family absolutely adores her. At 80 she got her Read more >
How to Manage Up
Get clear on the concern or opportunity you see and what you’re committed to. What specifically are you concerned about? Regarding this concern, do you have specific examples/instances from your own experience that Read more >
The Hustle Myth
Just the other day I had a CEO share with me that he wants his team to hustle more. He wants them to experience an overall sense of urgency – believing that this will Read more >
Recruitment and Retention Strategies
Stop Fearing Your People Will Leave
Why? Because they will. Some day they will find a better opportunity, and when they do, be proud you were part of their journey and celebrate their commitment to playing even bigger. In Read more >
Can Your Compensation Pass the Printer Test?
Nanci Meadows, the People Champion of Hubb (an event management software company out of Vancouver, WA), recently shared their compensation printer test. Here’s the printer test: If a copy of everyone’s compensation was Read more >
Workplace Compensation Trap: Fairness
A very well-known culture survey (not Choose People’s) asks team members to assess the following statement: I am paid fairly. Be careful what you assess. The term “fair” exists in comparison. In comparison to Read more >
How to Find Good Employees
Have them come to you. Often we try to figure out how to find good employees when the most effective way to find good employees is simply to attract them. Think about the combination Read more >
Organizational Development Process
I was told “don’t share this with anyone.”
If you’re in a position of authority and you tell one of your team members, “don’t share this with anyone,” thin ice magically appears below your feet as well as Read more >
How to Close the Knowing/Doing Gap
Awareness without aligned action doesn’t matter. Insight without impact doesn’t matter. Intention without follow-through doesn’t matter. You can discuss. You can plan. You can hope, wait, evaluate, wonder, discover, ponder, consider. And none Read more >
How to Reduce Overwhelm and Burnout
Here’s the air we’re socially breathing: The World Health Organization just classified burnout as a medical condition. Let me repeat, burnout is now a medical condition. Many continue to espouse the idea of work/life Read more >
#1 Pitfall to Building a Culture of Innovation
Squirrel! And yet another shiny, blinky opportunity has hijacked you team. All prior initiatives’ luster has been lost, as well as the experience of ownership by the team members who initiated them. Building Read more >
Organizational Culture Management
How to Launch a Successful Culture Council
What is a Culture Council A Culture Council is an empowered group of committed team members from across the organization that advises leadership with curated recommendations to improve workplace culture. Read more >
How to Handle Difficult Customers and Support a Positive Company Culture
Few things will undermine your positive company culture efforts - and bring a team member’s morale down faster - than not knowing how to handle a difficult customer. Empower your Read more >
9 Ways to Spark Your Culture Today
While it does take intentionality, it doesn’t take much to have one of your team workers know you care – to have them have the experience of being known, matter and included… “If Read more >
Create a Cathartic Release to Renew and Revive Your Culture
When you have low morale, disgruntled employees or rampant distrust, the temptation can be to go straight to hitting the reset button on your culture. Shiny new initiatives. Shiny new committees. Shiny new intentions. Read more >
