You don’t have to look far to see how polarity can cause people and processes to come to a shrieking halt. Disunity causes dysfunction. But what if leaders could create and maintain a culture of unity?
Companies with the most unified people boast the greatest prosperity. Unified employees also bring home far less baggage: they experience less work-related stress and irritation, which also benefits their companies. People’s need for fulfillment is paramount in building unity, and leaders must make every effort to provide it.
When this topic comes up with the leaders I work with, we discuss the importance of promoting a common, higher purpose and the value of people. You see, purpose and value are the foundation of unity.
Higher Purpose
People feel unified when leaders create a culture of high purpose, moving everyone toward a noble goal. Culture isn’t like a watch that’s wound and left to run on its own; it must be monitored, adjusted and rewound to keep working. People must understand their role in the company’s big picture, and leaders are responsible for conveying this to them.
Share your company’s vision by clearly explaining and discussing it, which unites people in a common cause. Everyone should work toward the same overall mission, depending on each other to achieve it. Leaders who create a vision of a brighter future elicit hope and anticipation.
Value of People
Always add value to people’s roles. You see, unified employees are validated with a sense of worth, knowing their team needs them and that they have a purpose. When leadership promotes unity, people know they’re cared for and valued. They know their leaders appreciate them and have their best interests in mind. When people’s lives matter, they’ll go to great lengths to succeed.
Employees with a higher sense of value have more pride and self-respect, which unlocks unforeseen potential. As Bob Chapman and Raj Sisodia emphasize in Everybody Matters: The Extraordinary Power of Caring for Your People Like Family (Portfolio, 2015), value is often based on material assets, information or profit, but it’s legitimately found only in people. When leaders ascribe value to all of their people, not just a select few, more pieces of the success puzzle find their place on the board. Employees follow leaders who honor people with dignity and respect.
What do you think? What is the foundation of unity in your organization? How do you promote purpose and value in your organization? I’d love to hear from you. You can call me at 561-582-6060, let’s talk. And as always, I can be reached here or on LinkedIn.
