Do you rely on managers and leaders to form their own company culture, or does HR or even your employees carry that responsibility? The bigger question is what is the difference between a manager and a leader? Aren’t they the same thing? These two words are commonly interchanged in error, but their meanings are entirely different. People follow managers because of their authority, but people follow leaders because of the connection they have to people. When considering employee engagement, managers engage 3 out of 10 people in contrast to leaders who engage 8 out of 10 people.
Taking the difference between leaders and managers, let's look at the 3 different types of company culture:
The one significant thing that leaders bring to the culture equation is a connection. When people feel connected to the goals, initiatives, customers, and processes, a strong culture begins to grow. Harvesting that strong culture results in a more successful workforce affecting a company's overall goals and objectives. Leaders should consider the following equation when evaluating their culture.
You will notice when the emotional, or the relationship piece is put into a culture equation, superior performance is achieved. When you have a connection culture, the environment is thriving and full of life. When there is a culture of disconnection, you will see the environment become dysfunctional and dead.
Sounds great, right? But, HOW do we get leaders out of our managers?
Companies have to train managers to become leaders, then train them, and then train them some more! Attitude is one of the biggest factors that dictates the success of a leader. Everyone values excellence, human beings naturally want to succeed and add value to their surroundings. It is extrinsic stressors that tend to get in the way. Use of proper language and exhibiting positive, repeatable behavior are all qualities that a leader must embrace and be able to transfer those qualities to their people. Embracing and practicing these factors leads to a successful implementation of a powerful Connection Culture.