PeopleSwitch

This week we explore how some values are more valuable than others and importantly, if we don't get serious about establishing purposeful values based cultures, we could be opening up our organisations to the irrational behaviour that comes with the negative elements of bias.

We were fortunate to have Deirdre Jensen from Game2Change join us for this episode where we explored game based learning and how this positively impacts employee engagement and culture. We asked Deirdre to share her insights and experience working with this relatively new methodology and how she sees companies improving employee engagement with better learning experiences.

We explore the danger of office politics and why we shouldn't be trying to manage it, but rather rid ourselves of this 'dirty game.'

In this episode we explore the importance of making culture a "contact" activity. Too much analysis and theory can come across as expert and aloof. Culture happens at team level, amongst people who interact with each other. If you want to shift culture (and behaviour), you have to get involved and in amongst the people. Be leader led and people driven. Be in contact. Talk to eachother and build a culture everyone feels part of.

Too many organisations pay lip service to a set of core values and expect that their workplace cultures will automatically align. It takes effort to build a culture of authentic experiences. In this episode we explore the example of how Uber was undone with a toxic culture crafted from the very top. We also explore the notion of culture fit and this could be part of the problem. Finally, we hear some wisdom from Celynn Morin on how stressful workplaces impact on employee well-being and how we can change small habits to be more resilient.

This week we sit with Elaine Rumboll for a fascinating discussion on how a fresh approach to leadership that unlocks creativity helps build a more engaging, inclusive and thriving culture in the workplace. Elaine shares with us some practical approaches that can help leaders and managers to initiate cultures that promote greater collaboration, care and creativity. You can find Elaine at the Creative Leadership Consultancy in Cape Town.

In this episode we look at the example of Netflix and their famous culture deck. Specifically, we question how they grow and update their culture and the deck to make sure it's a true reflection of their culture. It's the only way to remain authentic and to be sure that people understand what's expected of them. Don't fall into the trap of trying to sell a fake knock off culture. Stay true, be transparent and build a culture you can easily live up to.  

In this episode we explore some fundamental questions about culture. Business leaders understand the importance of culture, and that for some it's the number one priority. For others, people are the most important part of culture. We unpack 3 key areas of culture. Culture is about people in action. Aligning people with culture means involving them in the design. Culture is best managed at 3 levels, personal, social and environmental. 

We discuss the principles and environment that you need to create to unlock the hidden talent and potential of your team. 

In this episode we set the scene for the peopleswitch podcast series. We are here to explore everything from creating fun and engaging workplace cultures, to exploring some topical issues with expert guests. This quick introduction is the start of a series of engaging discussions to help leaders unlock the potential of their people through positive workplace culture.