How Leadership and Culture Impact Employee Engagement

Why is culture powerful? What specific criterion is necessary for developing a strong, strategically relevant culture that is likely to enhance your organization's performance? Before delving into this question, it is important to have a firm grasp on what culture is. According to California Management Review, "Norms—legitimate, socially shared standards against which the appropriateness of behavior can be evaluated—are the psychological bases of culture.” It is undeniable that company values are a key factor in developing a successful culture within an organization.

Strong cultures depend on two characteristics within the value category. The first being high levels of agreement among employees about what is especially valued. If each and every employee has a firm grasp on what values the company holds above all else, they are less likely to fumble through day to day activities, unsure of what to give the most attention to in order to succeed at whatever mission they have been tasked with.

The second characteristic is the high level of intensity felt by employees about these values. It is pretty obvious that if an employee honestly believes in the values held by the organization, their efforts are going to reflect it. If both of these characteristics are high, the end result is a strong culture, and vise versa.

So how does leadership fit into all of this? Creating and honoring corporate culture is a responsibility held by the leadership team. While leading through culture is a highly effective method, it is the leadership team’s responsibility to act on this strategy, and it is their responsibility to make the most important values clear and unwavering. If you are interested in learning more about how you can engage your employees through strong leadership, visit our website at www.inwardconsulting.com.