Whether presiding over the entire company, a function, a region, or a business unit, the people at the top of an organization have a disproportionate level of influence over those they lead. Those further down in the organization look to their leaders for cues on what’s acceptable (and what isn’t), and the team’s habits — both good and bad — will be emulated. Having your actions play out publicly, as if on a Jumbotron, is a huge responsibility, and unfortunately too many teams don’t take this responsibility as seriously as they should. The consequences can be farther reaching than most leadership teams realize.
3 Ways Senior Leaders Create a Toxic Culture
The people at the top of an organization have a disproportionate level of influence over those they lead. If you and your fellow executives fall into bad habits, it’s likely that those further down in the organization will emulate them. There are three common habits you especially want to avoid: (1) Scattered priorities. The implications for an organization whose leadership team is poorly focused are serious: Wasted resources, wasted effort, and widespread confusion become the norm. (2) Unhealthy rivalry. Leadership teams must operate as a unified force. Shared goals must be accompanied by shared accountability. (3) Unproductive conflict. Speaking negatively behind one another’s backs, withholding honest perspectives, or vetoing decisions after they are made should be unacceptable.