Success is Never Accidental- Episode 84- Carol Ring

Culture Is More Than People

What if some of the “people problems” in your organisation aren’t really people problems at all?

That was one of the most thought-provoking ideas from my recent Success Is Never Accidental conversation with Carol Ring, workplace culture strategist, executive coach, speaker and best-selling author.

Carol brings more than 30 years of executive and operational experience, including leading the turnaround of a billion-dollar regional telecommunications business. Her latest book, People Problems Solved: 9 Accelerators the World’s Top CEOs Use to Drive Results, challenges leaders to think differently about workplace culture.

Look Beyond the Individual

We can be quick to label someone as disengaged, difficult or underperforming. But Carol reminded us that sometimes what appears to be a people problem is actually a symptom of the culture and systems surrounding that person.

She encouraged leaders to look beyond their people and ask:

Do our policies encourage ownership and buy-in?
Does our physical environment support people to perform at their best?
Do staff have the technology and systems they need to do their jobs effectively?

Sometimes we need to stop trying to fix the person and start looking at the environment in which we are asking them to perform.

Help People Play to Their Strengths

We also explored the importance of values and alignment.

People are generally happier and more fulfilled when they have a sense of purpose, when their values align with those of the organisation and when they have opportunities to use their strengths.

As leaders, we have a responsibility to help people recognise those strengths and find meaningful ways to use them.

That means making supervision, appraisal and development conversations about more than training needs.

Ask:

What are you really good at?

What do you enjoy?

Where could you contribute more?

Those simple questions can open very different conversations.

Recognise Behaviours — Not Just Results

Key Takeaways

• Not every people problem is actually a people problem — examine the culture and systems too.
• Help people identify and use their strengths and interests.
• Review whether your policies, environment and technology enable people to perform well.
• Recognise and reward behaviours as well as results.
• Make recognition specific so people know exactly what they are doing well.

Your Challenge

This week, ask yourself:

What ONE thing could I change that would improve the culture within my team?

It might be a policy, the working environment, an ineffective system or simply the way you recognise your people.

And then consider:

Who deserves recognition this week — and specifically, what do I want to recognise them for?

Culture isn't simply what we say we value. It is what leaders consistently encourage, recognise and reward.

And remember — Success Is Never Accidental.

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