From surviving to thriving

From surviving to thriving

A culture of abundance isn’t packed with cake and coffee, it’s teeming with engaged employees and cooperative thinking.

MINIMISE POOR PERFORMANCE

A culture of abundance in the business can be easily described as a buzzword. It’s certainly leapt up in business articles, podcasts and books. It’s the sought-after culture that puts everyone in the centre of an abundant workplace where resources, recognition and relationships are equal and accessible. However, it’s not an easily achieved goal, nor is it simply a hype or a hot trend. If given the right leadership attention, if made part of a business strategy, and if embedded within the organisation’s culture – this trend has the potential to minimise toxicity and poor performance while enhancing productivity, engagement and growth.

TAKE A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO PLANNING AHEAD

The first step is to have a plan. What does a culture of abundance look like to you? How do you plan to achieve this within your current climate and structure? Once you’ve got a clear idea of what kind of culture you want to achieve, and how this drives abundance within your business, then you need to document it, and preach it. Yes, include wellness and health factors. Yes, consider personal and career growth. Yes, unpack equality and diversity and what this means for your people. But also, be realistic about how you can achieve these goals and how well they will go down with your people.

GET YOUR PEOPLE’S BUY-IN

Taking this plan further will need a set of moral fibres. Loosely translated – you can’t create this vision of a culture of abundance and then only apply certain rules to leadership. There has to be moral and ethical tenets that uphold your plan because these will weave a fabric that will last. They will also be the primary reason why other people buy into your culture. And you need people’s buy-in. Your culture will fizzle and pop if only two leaders and the guy in Marketing like the plan.

CREATE HEALTHY HABITS TO DELIVER CONSISTENTLY

So, this means be consistent. Live the plan every day. Be the leader that upholds what the plan stands for. Erode cynicism and criticism with actions that prove the plan right, and their concerns wrong. Show people how these actions and strategies deliver meaningful results, and how they can benefit if they become engaged. Don’t stop, don’t get tired after a year, or two years. Live it until you don’t notice that you’re doing it anymore – it’s become a habit.

WANT A CULTURE OF ABUNDANCE? LEAD BY EXAMPLE

If you get people to believe in this vision, then they will become the multipliers that you need to embed this into your company culture. Lead them by example, and help people when they’re stuck or unsure. This creates a transparent and engaging platform from which people can engage with you and your business. If you’re open to discussion around your culture and the vision that shapes it, then you’re allowing people to connect with what it represents on their own terms. This transforms a plan from a document to a living breathing culture that self-evolves, that grows, and that will consistently take you and your people into a successful and engaged future.

By Chris Ogden, CEO of RubiBlue