The hard thing about creating a collaborative #culture is that one bad seed will ruin the crop.
Your job is to eliminate the bad seeds.
It’s not enough that the majority of people on your executive team or employee roster are willing collaborators. Just one person who’s possessive of information or competitive with the others will influence your culture.
I’ve seen it happen all too often. Someone is hired because of a world-class resume, and the leadership team chooses not to notice an abrasive
or egotistical attitude. Everyone silently hopes this person will fit in, bringing talents to bear without causing friction.
Moments like this are a test of your mettle. Do you let someone poison your culture? Are you truly committed to collaboration, or do you waver for the sake of a quick win?
My client, Cheyenne, faced this dilemma last year. She hired a hotshot (who we’ll call Steve) to run her marketing department, wowed by
his glowing recommendations.
The very day he started, a sick feeling emerged in Cheyenne’s stomach. She’d made a dreadful misjudgment.
Steve was a showboat in the worst possible way. He held frequent brainstorming meetings that felt more like ‘Steve: A One-Man Show.’ He talked endlessly about his own ideas and past successes. When someone dared to speak, he dismissed their ideas instantly.
This behavior ruffled more than a few feathers in Cheyenne’s highly- collaborative, tight-knit company. She’d built an atmosphere of respect, and Steve stood out like a Martian.
When she attempted to coach him on working more collaboratively, he was floored. After all, he included so many people in his ‘brainstorming meetings’.
After only a few weeks, Cheyenne had to send Steve packing. He was talented beyond belief, but he was not a team player.
If having a collaborative culture is truly your aim, you’ll have to make some tough calls too. You’ll have to identify loose cannons and be the brave voice that coaches them on changing their ways.
If change doesn’t happen, you’ll need to cut ties with talented people who refuse to fit in. Ultimate Executives understand that ‘fit’ is about more than just a history of performance. It’s about finding and retaining people who blend with your desired corporate culture.
This is why it’s vital to assess new hires for culture fit, not just knowledge and skills. Your interview process needs to formally address this. It’s not enough to assume someone who says they’re a team player actually is. You need to dig deeper, do some testing, and ask head-on when you’re reference-checking.
Collaborative cultures don’t happen by accident. They’re created through intention and action.
Lisa will help you to create a winning corporate culture,why not start today?
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