Reviewed by Rama Gaind.
By Colin D. Ellis, Wiley, $29.95.
An expert on workplace cultures, Ellis likes to spell out the essence of what good team building and culture looks like, together with how to “do it really well”. You learn how to create a great place to work.
You need to resist the lure of the fixed mindset and, instead, focus on how you can take the “examples and activities presented here and apply them to your culture”. Be an armchair inspiration – not a critic. Why not share what works for you because you never know, it might just work for someone else too!
Colin refers to cultures rather than teams, classes, cohorts, squads or any similar colloquialism. This book is written for cultures of all sizes: “whether you’re an educational establishment, religious group, engineering organisation or sports team, your culture is what you do”.
It’s a fresh approach to getting under the surface of culture, understanding the cause and effect, confronting some of the uncomfortable truths and owning up to some of the honest mistakes. Culture makes all the difference, so this playbook for building a great culture shows you how to change the way you do things and create a winning culture that will keep your organisation relevant today – and into the future.
Knowing the importance of a strong, evolving culture for successfully scaling a business is important. Simply put, it’s the “way your people act when you are not there – is a force multiplier for your business”.
In the foreword, Dom Price says: “An open empowered, high-trust, collaborative culture of cognitive diversity will enable your business to thrive.” Culture is a “set of behaviours that you role model as a leader and inspire in those around”.
This book brings you loads of useful insights, while it insists you take action. Not only that, it will inspire you to take ownership of your leadership style, your team’s success and your organisation’s evolution.
An award-winning international speaker, who works with organisations and individuals around the world to help them change the way they get things done, Ellis points out that many organisations lack the knowledge for creating cultures that are uniquely suited for their people.
Culture Fix offers real-world solutions to problems of culture change in organisations and teams of all types and sizes. Getting the knowledge of how to improve is the “gift that keeps on giving. Knowledge is important, but only when you take action”.
Sound advice.
