“Why does it take so long for us to get anything done? It drives me crazy!” I hear that all the time. The irony is that it doesn’t take long to identify why things take so long for some organizations and less for others. The question I’ll respond with is: Where are you directing your money and your resources? You see, where you allocate your money, time, and resources tells me, and your team, what you really value and what you don’t.
Where you allocate your money, time, and resources tells me, and your team, what you really value and what you don’t.
If you doubt me, here is what your budgets, calendars, and actions are telling others about you and the culture you say you want:
1 – Budgets and Calendars Highlight Priorities
I learned in my graduate school capstone course, that profound phrase: Cash is king. You need to have cashflow for your business to survive. That was true then, and it’s true today. However, there’s also a deeper leadership reality hidden in that phrase. That reality is: Your budget and calendar highlight your real priorities, not your strategic plan.
Your budget and calendar highlight your real priorities, not your strategic plan.
Our people are our most important asset. I’ve heard leaders say that more times than I can count, and it sounds great. However, it doesn’t mean a thing if you don’t allocate meaningful dollars and dedicate people, time, and your leadership commitment to investing in your team now and preparing them for the future. What are you willing to commit to, and stay committed to, to make fundamental changes for a better tomorrow? Your budgets and calendars will confirm or contradict your stated priorities.
2 – Your Culture is Created and Reinforced by What is Rewarded, Tolerated, and Funded
A leader’s actions speak louder than their words. You know it. I know it. And your team knows it and watches for it. Every person with whom you interact, or don’t, every word of praise or rebuke, every extra bit of attention or 1:1, every infraction that’s ignored, and every additional resource or budget increase or decrease speaks volumes. Your actions convey what you will accept, ignore, tolerate, reward, and fund. Every dollar you withhold or spend, every meeting you keep or cancel, and every behavior you tolerate or address reiterates what culture you prefer to operate in and sustain.
Every dollar you withhold or spend, every meeting you keep or cancel, and every behavior you tolerate or address reiterates what culture you prefer to operate in and sustain.
3 – What are You Willing to Stop or Say NO to?
Not everything is or can be a priority. There’s no arguing with that. It’s also ludicrous to expect already overloaded critical staff, who carry the bulk of the daily operations, to also lead major strategic and cultural initiatives without negatively impacting production, customers, other team members, or themselves. Good luck with that. Accept it: You can’t expect sustainable results from initiatives you’ve not fully supported and have under-resourced.
If you really want, and need, to move something forward or change your culture, you need to decide what to stop, postpone, fund, and back to give your team the best shot at realizing the outcomes you want. If you’re not willing to say NO to some of what your team is currently doing, you can’t expect them to help you get to what you need.
If you’re not willing to say NO to some of what your team is currently doing, you can’t expect them to help you get to what you need.
If you believe that an organization’s culture matters and you need to improve yours, spend time and money. Culture responds to attention.
Copyright MMXXVI – Liz Weber, CMC, CSP – Weber Business Services, LLC – www.WBSLLC.com +1.717.597.8890 Liz Weber is an advisor to boards of directors, business owners, and C-Suite leaders. She’s a leadership, strategic and succession planning consultant, keynote speaker, and author. Learn more on LinkedIn.
