This is the time of year when we come together to celebrate the holidays, from Halloween to New Year’s, which means it is an excellent time to revisit your office culture statement. Don’t have one? If not, it might be a great time to write one. Let’s start by taking a closer look at the word culture.

Culture: A set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization.

The thing about culture, as we can see in this definition, is that it’s shared. You can’t have a culture discussion if you work alone. Any office culture is embedded in the relationships among team members, and coming together as a team to achieve goals and togetherness. 

Create Your Culture Statement
Before you can work together to achieve your shared vision on culture, you’ll want to name what that vision is. As a leader, you’ll want to define what a strong office culture looks like for you and your team. That definition is critical to your business. If you (and your teammates) can have clarity around what that means to you as a leader and to them as a team, then you can start developing ways to be intentional about enhancing that culture. Not sure where to start? Here are some prompts to help you write your culture statement…

• Do you want an inclusive office culture? One that empowers and encourages employees?
• Do you want to promote healthy competition in the workplace? 
• Is health and nutrition important to you and your team? 
• Would you like your office to be characterized by integrity and honesty? 

Think of the most important values your team shares, and develop a written statement on your office culture from there. Help people use the same language and rally around the idea of the culture. But remember: You don’t create a culture by giving people a culture statement. You create a culture by figuring out how to live it together, translating it from words into actions and choices, and through engagement.  

Once you define the type of culture you are looking to establish, you can then identify the choices and actions that can affirm and build such a culture and ones that would take away from that culture. 

Lead by example.
It’s important to look at yourself first. How would you score yourself in exemplifying the values and actions you have included in your culture statement? If you don’t lead by example, you aren’t contributing positively to that culture. For example, if your office culture values work-life balance, but you continuously stay in the office for 10 or 12-hour work days, then you aren’t fulfilling that office culture, and neither will your team. If you value inclusivity in your team’s culture, but only seek input from a select group, you’re not leading by example. 

Hire the right fit.
The people you hire are critical to your company culture. It’s important to take the culture a step further and ask yourself if the people you hire can contribute to that definition of culture. Keep a copy of your culture statement nearby when you are interviewing and evaluating candidates, develop questions that are aligned with the culture statement, and come back to culture during tough hiring decisions. Even if one candidate has all the experience in the world, if their values don’t align with your culture, the team may suffer.

Create office culture busters and builders. 
Culture busters are things that weaken your team’s culture, and builders strengthen it. Every team should have a list of hot items that serve as culture builders and busters. Bonus: This can be a fun team exercise that strengthens your culture in the process. In your next team meeting, take some time to write these lists out, encouraging people to think critically about the ways they can work together to achieve a healthy, aligned culture.

One of my favorite culture builders is a clearly defined map for open and honest communication, like a plan for feedback at the end of projects and a meeting structure where everyone can participate freely. We include fun culture builders in our list such as office socials and picnics, informal get-togethers and even something as simple as regular pizza lunches.

Culture busters are just as important to name up front. Closed door meetings, micromanaging, overbearing office policies and unrealistic expectations are all common culture busters that should be named so that everyone can intentionally avoid them.

Cultures are not built in isolation; they are built by communities working together. If you gravitate toward being alone and not communicating then there is a good chance you will struggle in building a culture. To that end, you may want to create a culture ambassador team than can help you with the process of establishing a sustainable cultural program.  

For you as a leader, cultivating strong relationships with your coworkers is a critical piece of building a strong office culture. If you align your activities around building relationships, communicating effectively, and transparency, your office culture will thrive. 

Here are some questions you can answer today to get started on your office culture revival this season.

1. What are some of the values you want to include in your team culture statement?
2. How do your behaviors align with that culture statement? How can you improve?
3. When will you and your team meet to discuss the culture and list builders and boosters?

To share your thoughts with us, please feel free to comment on my Facebook page or Twitter.

Yasser Youssef is the president of The Budd Group, one of the leading facility service companies in the country a North Carolina-based company that provides facility support services in the Southeast. Throughout his career, Youssef has met leaders from all backgrounds, and believes leadership is for everyone. Over the past few years, he has developed an affinity for writing and contributing thought leadership, and is often asked to speak to businesses throughout the country about authentic leadership.

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