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Employers today are faced with the challenge of nurturing leaders, managing change and fostering a culture that aligns with their vision and values. These practices have become paramount for organizations striving to thrive and adapt.
Here, 19 Forbes Human Resources Council members share some of the best practices employers can implement to tackle these critical areas. From leveraging the power of coaching to navigating change with finesse and instigating a culture shift that resonates, these experts explore actionable strategies that can pave the way for organizational success.
1. Have A Clear Set Of Corporate Values
Good leadership is underpinned by a fact-based objective and constructive communication style. Having a clear set of corporate values around interpersonal discussion—for instance, highlighting the need to get to facts before judgment, to value accountability over "rightness" and to stay constructive—can help with all three of the above demands. - Eric Friedman, eSkill
2. Engage Leaders To Share Personal Stories
In every transformation or developmental program initiative, the workforce closely observes leadership's actions. Their active involvement is vital for maximizing buy-in and ROI. If there is one practice that makes a profound impact, it is to engage high-visibility leaders to share personal stories that underscore the initiative's significance. This champions adoption and drives behavioral change. - Gregory Pontrelli, Lausanne Business Solutions
3. Cultivate A Transparent Culture
The more an organization is clear about its goals and values, the more it will develop and encourage its employees. Transparency is a force multiplier for high-performing teams because it enables everyone to be on the same page. - Gianna Driver, Exabeam
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4. Embrace A Comprehensive Internal Mobility Strategy
Embracing a comprehensive internal mobility strategy allows employers to boost leadership development, simplify change management and foster cultural shifts. Our company did a survey and found that only 14% of employees aspire to be people leaders. By promoting holistic mobility, employers tap into their workforce's distinct talents, boost exposure to a variety of roles and boost job satisfaction. - Susan Tohyama, Ceridian
5. Show Empathy
Cultivating empathy for others is a highly effective way to create a more compassionate and understanding workplace, ultimately leading to better leadership, smoother change management and successful cultural transformation. Building emotional intelligence helps everyone to understand and connect with their team members, understand different perspectives and build trust. - Kshitij Jain, Joveo
6. Enable Your Employees
Shift your thinking from “managing” employees to enabling them. Ask them these two questions and evaluate where to go from there. The first is, "What do you need to grow your career to develop as a professional?" And the second, "With the help of your manager, what can be done to lower internal and external barriers that prevent you from achieving your goals, both personally and professionally?" - Jamie Aitken, Betterworks
7. Lead By Example
Leaders should lead by example, embodying the desired organizational values and behaviors. Their commitment to continuous learning, adaptability and a positive cultural shift serves as a powerful model for employees, inspiring them to do the same. This establishes a solid foundation for leadership development, change management and cultural transformation initiatives. - JacLyn Pagnotta, Rose Associates Inc.
8. Stay Committed To Your Goals
The best practice for leadership development, coaching and culture transformation is to stay committed to prioritizing it, even when the company is experiencing challenges. Often, this type of development and its associated dollars are the first to go when they should be considered the most critical investment to help an organization endure a downslope in business and help navigate change. - Carrie Berg, Teladoc Health
9. Foster Open Communication
Encourage regular, honest dialogues among leaders, employees and teams. This promotes transparency, aligns everyone with organizational goals and empowers team members to contribute to positive change. Effective communication is a pillar of a positive accountability culture, which drives results. - Jessica Kriegel, Culture Partners
10. Track Key Drivers Of Well-Being And Performance
Sure, leadership courses are great, and hiring coaches to mentor and develop your managers can be meaningful. However, to empower your leaders, drive change and stay aware of your cultural transformation you have to track key drivers of well-being and performance every month. This is not only great insight for the people team, but if you use the right tech your managers get superpowers. - Christian Møller, Zoios
11. Provide Learning Opportunities
If you want to transform your organization, you need to transform individuals. As employers, creating a learning organization is crucial for skills development and business success. The first point is to offer learning opportunities (e.g., podcast, video, course) in the flow of work; you can blend formal and informal resources to make sure every learner profile puts their finger into lifelong learning. - Philippe Riveron, Edflex
12. Create A Psychologically Safe Work Environment
Create an environment of psychological safety where team members feel safe speaking up, disagreeing, making mistakes and taking risks. This leads to a stronger culture of trust, encourages diverse perspectives, minimizes failures and encourages growth. The most effective way for leaders to create a safe team environment is to lead by example—by exhibiting vulnerability and trusting themselves. - Casey Huebsch, South End Partners
13. Offer 360-Degree Feedback
Take a holistic approach by gathering insight from peers, subordinates and superiors. Academically, it enhances self-awareness, facilitating effective change management and driving culture transformation by pinpointing areas for growth and alignment. - Hassan Choughari, Jaroudi Group
14. Follow A Robust Communication Plan
Every leadership development coaching, change management or cultural transformation plan needs a robust communications plan. Otherwise, stakeholders might not be invested, which can lead to serious challenges with implementation. Remember, feedback from employees and frontline managers is essential for leadership to successfully launch and refine the details of a major new initiative. - Niki Jorgensen, Insperity
15. Structure Leadership Development Strategically
It is imperative to recognize different leaders need different coaching and development. The training needs of a first-time manager are distinctive from the needs of more experienced leaders. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. Organizations need to be strategic in structuring leadership development opportunities for leaders at each level while maintaining alignment with organizational values. - Lindsey Garito, Westchester Country Club
16. Build A 'Leadership Lab'
Implement a "leadership lab" where leaders are coached on handling real-time organizational challenges, fostering a culture of continuous learning and driving change. These labs should embody and reinforce company values, promoting individual leadership and organizational development through experiential learning and practical application. For new leaders, provide a mentor in the organization. - Chad MacRae, Tinder
17. Support Middle Managers With The Skills And Tools To Lead
Empower middle managers with the right skills and tools to effectively implement change initiatives and act as key influencers in shaping the organizational culture. Their role is pivotal in ensuring that the organization's vision is effectively executed on the ground and that employees understand the why behind it and are inspired to grow and make an impact. - Sophia Nardelli, Bath Fitter
18. Utilize A Mentorship And Continuous Learning Program
Assign mentors to guide emerging leaders, incorporate change management modules and weave organizational culture into learning activities. Celebrate and reward adherence to desired cultural behaviors, ensuring leaders are adept at managing change and embodying company values - Carlos Trillo, Evinex Corporation
19. Empower Employees
Empowering your employees to advocate for themselves and for those that they support and represent. This opens the door for authentic communications that allow leadership to better understand the needs and wants of staff; satisfying some of those will increase engagement and reduce resistance to change. When all voices are heard, teams can move forward more positively. - Brandy Marshall, Franklin Pierce School District
