In a business environment culture can be the differentiator between success or failure.
Whether or not people feel psychologically safe to speak up, admit to mistakes, or are neurologically freed from the constraints of fear and stress to allow their brains to work optimally, makes a huge difference to how a business both runs and succeeds and to people's experience of the workplace.
Leaders have an outsized influence on an organization's culture.
To be effective both in leading teams, instigating change, and creating psychologically safe cultures, a leader must be self-aware.
They must understand not only the impact they have on others but also their own motivations and reactions.
The end of the year is always a great time to reflect and grow.
So how might you increase your self-awareness this Holiday season?
Consider a situation that could have gone better. What were your thoughts in the moment? Why did you react the way you did? If you do this regularly you will begin to see themes emerge and you will get a glimpse into the subconscious workings of your mind that often derail our best intentions.
Ask yourself: What people, events, and experiences had the greatest impact on you? How has that shaped the way you see yourself and the world around you? Does it affect how you react to situations today?
Ask for feedback from those around you. Be specific rather than asking general questions that people might find it hard to respond to, such as, what do you see me doing that supports or derails our success? How do you think I could handle this situation better?
It is rare in modern life that we take time to stop and reflect.
We are either too busy or in moments of downtime we fill space by looking at our phone or other media. But taking the time to be still and reflect allows for a greater understanding of ourselves and others to develop.
It is an absolute necessity for any leader!
For more insights on developing yourself, your team, or your organization and to understand why culture is so important to business success and transformation, check out Taming the Culture Tiger by clicking below, a book for the life science industry by Dr Kate Price, our featured writer of this blog.