463. Unfairly Labeled - How Your Workplace Can Benefit From Ditching Generational Stereotypes
Jul 29, 2024
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Dr. Jessica Kriegel, a workplace culture expert, shares insights on transforming company cultures for better performance. She argues that generational differences are often just life stage differences, emphasizing adaptability as the key to an effective workplace. Dr. Kriegel highlights research showing that adaptable cultures can significantly boost revenue. She discusses how to cultivate positive environments, especially in remote settings, and the critical role of intentional experiences in reinforcing values.
Generational differences in the workplace should be reframed as life stage differences rather than rigid categories, fostering better understanding among employees.
A culture of adaptability is crucial for high-performing organizations, allowing them to respond effectively to changing business environments and expectations.
Intentional experiences such as storytelling and recognition play a significant role in shaping cultural beliefs, enhancing employee engagement, and driving organizational success.
Deep dives
Defining Workplace Culture
Culture in the workplace is fundamentally defined by how employees think and act to achieve results. It transcends superficial perks like ping pong tables or casual dress codes, focusing instead on decision-making and communication practices. A performative culture that emphasizes fun activities neglects the critical aspects of collective outcomes and accountability. Ultimately, a clear understanding of culture is essential as it directly correlates to a company's success and ability to drive meaningful results.
Principles of Effective Culture Transformation
To optimize workplace culture, organizations should start by identifying the results they intend to achieve rather than merely assessing problems. This approach allows leaders to frame discussions around future possibilities and strategic actions necessary to drive success. Transitioning from a mindset focused on complaints to one centered on growth can empower teams to collaborate effectively. By defining shared beliefs, leaders facilitate a proactive culture that encourages ownership and accountability among employees.
Importance of Cultural Beliefs
Addressing limiting cultural beliefs is crucial for organizations to achieve their desired results. By identifying and shifting these beliefs, teams can unlock new possibilities that foster growth and innovation. An example discussed in the podcast highlighted a mental health organization that reframed their understanding of trauma, which transformed their market approach and significantly improved sales figures. This showcases the impact of nurturing flexible beliefs that evolve with the organization's strategy.
Creating Transformative Experiences
Intentional experiences within the workplace play a crucial role in shaping cultural beliefs and behaviors. Storytelling, recognition, and feedback are effective methods to reinforce desired beliefs and encourage employees to connect their actions to tangible outcomes. Leaders can maximize engagement by articulating how individual achievements align with broader organizational goals. Consistency in creating positive experiences enables teams to internalize cultural values that drive performance.
The Shift to Adaptable Cultures
The ability to shift between varying cultural norms is vital for ongoing organizational success. Research indicates that adaptable cultures outperform static ones, emphasizing the need for continuous evolution in workplace practices. Leaders must encourage flexibility, allowing teams to respond aptly to changing business environments. Ultimately, embracing adaptability as a core cultural trait not only enhances resilience but also aligns employee engagement with organizational goals.
Your company culture should not be designed around what generation your workers come from. It should not rely on being physically present in the office. The number one value and practice of your culture should be adaptability. Dr. Jessica Kriegel joins us today to explain how the data shows adaptable company cultures are the best performing ones.
What many people mistake for generational differences are actually life stage differences. Baby Boomers were a lot like Gen Z when they too were in their twenties. Yes, technology has increased transparency and expectations, and it has even changed where we physically work, but fundamentally we are the same across generations.
Dr. Jessica Kriegel explains how scientists at Stanford analyzed decades of data, finding only one single culture that made a difference in revenue results. In fact, it makes a 4x difference. That culture is the culture of adaptability. She walks us through how to transform your company culture into one of adaptability.
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To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods.
We talk about:
Why generational differences are better understood as lifestage differences
The importance of having an adaptable work culture
How to activate cultural beliefs, including in the virtual workplace