Is\nthere a \u201cbest\u201d team and organizational culture? Countless books, podcasts,\nwebinars and workshops offer do\u2019s and don\u2019ts on leading people and how to win\nat work. The sheer volume of opinions and approaches available reinforces that\nover the last hundred years of scientific inquiry there has not been a\nconsensus on the definitions of, or a general theoretical model for, leadership\nor organizational culture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In\nrecent years, however, two trends have emerged. The first is that scholars are\nfinding organizations are comprised of a complex web of intricate relationships\nbest captured by theories of complexity. The second trend is that effective\nleaders foster positive relationships and care about people. \u201cConnection\u201d is\ncited as an emerging general theory of leadership and organizational culture\nthat integrates these trends, according to The\nConnection Value Chain: Impact of Connection Culture and Employee Motivation on\nPerceived Team Performance<\/em>, a recently published doctoral dissertation by\nJon Rugg, PhD. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Applying\na \u201cone size fits all\u201d culture isn\u2019t realistic in today\u2019s increasingly diverse\nand global working world. That said, I believe organizations that have sustainable\nhigh performance will have a common foundation to their culture \u2013 elements that\nenable them to be their best. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Team and organizational cultures can be viewed as\neither emotionally connecting people or emotionally isolating them. Why do\nleaders need to care whether or not an employee feels connected? Research has\nfound that social connection is a primal human need<\/a> that appears to improve the\ncardiovascular, endocrine and immune systems\u2019 performance<\/a>. Viewed from the opposite\nside, research has shown that lacking sufficient connection is associated with poorer cognitive\nperformance<\/a>, impaired executive control and\nself-regulation<\/a>, lower levels of self-rated physical\nhealth<\/a>,\nsubstance abuse<\/a>, depressive symptoms<\/a> and suicidal ideation<\/a>. Given these findings, it should\nbe no surprise that greater loneliness in the workplace has been found to\nresult in poorer task, team role\nand relational performance<\/a>. Employees who feel regularly left out, lonely or out\nof the loop are not going to be able to do their best work and may not wish to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the research my colleagues and I conducted we found\nthat isolation typically results from excessive control behaviors, or by\nexcessive busyness and indifference to the human need for connection. Cultures that\nconnect people (which we have termed \u201cconnection cultures\u201d) are best for\nindividual well-being and for helping organizations thrive. Specifically,\ncultures that intentionally connect people to their work, their colleagues and\nthe organization as a whole convey several performance\nadvantages upon organizations<\/a> including higher employee engagement, tighter\nstrategic alignment, better decisions, higher rate of innovation and greater\nagility to cope with faster changes taking place today. These benefits combine\nto provide a significant performance and competitive advantage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Media\nhave reported on the current loneliness epidemic<\/a>, including in the workplace<\/a>. And what about the many\npeople don\u2019t think of themselves as lonely and yet the demands of work<\/a> and task-oriented activities\nsuch as time in front of\nscreens<\/a> have crowded out time for meaningful relationships? That was my\nexperience, earlier in my career. Today\u2019s connection deficit is a risk to\nindividuals and organizations, especially those with cultures of control or\nindifference. Leaders would be wise not to ignore it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Over the coming decade the workforce may become even\nmore disconnected. Consider that research on adolescents<\/a>, the next wave of incoming\nemployees, has found they spend more time interacting with electronic devices\nand less time interacting with each other. Furthermore, artificial intelligence\nmay diminish people\u2019s\nability to connect<\/a> as an unintended consequence of spending more time\ninteracting with machines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To boost connection,\nleaders first need to develop a connection mindset throughout their\norganization. This means that people at all levels recognize and appreciate\nthat human connection is a necessity and a lack of connection is unhealthy and can\nsabotage success. Second, people need to learn the attitudes, uses of language,\nand behaviors that are connecting. Some of these are universal and others will\nbe shaped by local customs and the organization\u2019s vision, mission and values. Training,\nmentoring and coaching are valuable in moving from an aspirational to an actual\nculture of connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our memorable formula to\nhelp leaders create a connection culture is Vision + Value + Voice. Simply\nstated, leaders connect people when they communicate a Vision<\/em> that inspires and unites people, Value<\/em> people as human beings and not just means to an end, and give\npeople a Voice<\/em> to express their\nopinions and ideas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A\nleader who created a connection culture is Alan Mulally. When he arrived at Ford\nMotor Company in 2006 to be CEO, sales, market share and profits were declining\nas its culture of infighting drove Ford to the verge of bankruptcy. Here are a few of the ways\nthat he put the power of connection to work as he led the turnaround<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n He reminded\nemployees of the inspiring Vision put forth by founder Henry Ford of \u201copening\nthe highways for all mankind.\u201d Mulally described Ford\u2019s contribution to\nsociety as giving people \u201cfreedom of mobility [to] access opportunities for\ngrowth.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Mulally boosted Value in\nthe Ford culture when he said leaders need to care about and value people in\norder to connect with them. He often used the phrases \u201cOne Ford\u201d and \u201cworking\ntogether always works.\u201d In meetings, he prohibited people from using humor at\nthe expense of others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mulally\nincreased the element of Voice by seeking people\u2019s ideas and opinions,\nconsidering them and acting on the best ideas. A primary vehicle for this was\nthe weekly Business Plan Review (BPR) meeting that was attended in person or by\nteleconference by the global leadership team as well as all business and\nfunctional leaders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When\nMulally announced his retirement in May 2014, he had led Ford to\n19 consecutive profitable quarters and rising market share in North\nAmerica. Connection was not only good for the individual employees of Ford, it\nwas good for the bottom line. \n\nSenior leaders who want their organizations to reach\ntheir potential are intentional about developing and sustaining cultures of\nconnection that promote superior organizational outcomes. The net benefit\namounts to better employee and organizational performance. \n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Michael Lee Stallard<\/em><\/a>, president and cofounder of E Pluribus Partners and <\/em>Connection Culture Group<\/em><\/a>, is a thought leader and speaker on how effective leaders boost human connection in team and organizational cultures to improve the health and performance of individuals and organizations. He is the author of <\/em>“Connection Culture<\/em><\/a>” and <\/em>“Fired Up or Burned Out<\/em><\/a>.” <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Connection Is the X-factor <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Today\u2019s Connection Deficit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What Leaders Can Do<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Alan Mulally at Ford<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
About Michael Lee Stallard<\/h2>\n\n\n\n