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Weed The Whiners-Create A Winning Culture

  • By Andrea Schlapia
  • |
  • June 28, 2012

Forming a positive culture at your firm is harder to do than you think. It’s one of those intangible objects that burrows into every aspect of our being. Learning how to form and instill a healthy, positive culture is an important but often neglected process.

Workplace culture is a concept that studies the beliefs, attitudes, and thought processes of employees as well as the ideologies and principles of your firm.
In our blog “What Culture Are You Cultivating At Your Firm-Healthy or Toxic?” we reviewed characteristics of a healthy culture. If you haven’t taken the time to step back and look at your workplace culture, now is the time.    http://aeschlapia.wordpress.com/2012/03/02/what-culture-are-you-cultivating-at-your-firm-healthy-or-toxic/

Firms that take advantage of opportunities to discuss culture reap the benefits of increased productivity, growth, and efficiency. Start by knowing how to effectively create a healthy culture in your firm by establishing a process that includes the following components:

Hire For Passion: Make sure that you have your hiring checklist in the proper order. Many firms are hiring for credentials and experience but overlook passion. Dig beneath the surface of skill set and qualification to uncover your candidate’s true passions. When potential new hires are passionate about their career, they are more creative.

Open Communication & Discussion: On a regular basis, review with employees what is working and what isn’t. As a leader in your firm, make certain that you interact with your team frequently. Allow employees to discuss issues among themselves to reach better conclusions. Remember that the art of communication is a two-way street. Position your communication focus on talking as much as listening, which will lead to a dynamic workplace culture that will grow.

Weed The Whiners: Nothing can be more destructive than a whiner in the firm. Whiners will typically wind through the firm secretly complaining, instilling doubt, and poison passion in other team members. You must identify these people and replace them. Their passion is not equivalent to that of the organization and they simply aren’t a good fit.

You can create a legacy that will include a healthy culture. Invest and surround yourself with positive, passionate people and remain loyal to them. In doing so, you will earn loyalty from your team members that will provide you with long-term support and commitment. Making certain that your workplace culture is healthy will define the ambience of your firm.

Ironstone can assist you in developing the strategies and tactical questions to gain meaningful insights that will strengthen the culture in your firm. By seizing control over the factors above, you will improve the overall performance of your team and reduce workplace stress.

Contact us for assistance in starting and improving your Workplace Culture. We want to hear from you! Share your best ideas here!

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Strategic Planning
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• The Human Element

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Author Bio

Andrea Schlapia, RCC™, HCS, sHRBP, is the Founder and CEO of Ironstone, which represents the culmination of her 20+ year career within the financial services industry. Her experience began as a financial advisor evolving into a consultant coach for advisors entering the field. This ignited her passion to support others through learning and development of best practices in order to achieve substantial results. To this end, she followed her desire into positions of senior-level practice management specialists for Dreyfus, Prudential, and DWS Investments prior to the realization of Ironstone.  Andrea’s focus is on practice management strategies to enhance and improve both business and personal life. Andrea identifies 4 key performance areas known as the Fundamental 4™, which are required to design, develop, and sustain a successful business. Through coaching sessions and speaking engagements, she captivates her audience with interactive, high-energy presentations which are built with “how-to” strategies resulting in real-world implementation for significant impact. Andrea has been featured in multiple publications and audio broadcasts as a specialist and distinguished spokeswoman in the financial industry.

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