How Leaders Signal Cultural Values Through Communication

How Leaders Signal Cultural Values Through Communication

Effective leadership encompasses much more than just achieving results; it requires building a culture within the organization. One essential element of culture is its values. Values can include innovation, teamwork, integrity, and more. When leaders signal cultural values through communication, they can have a significant impact on creating a corporate culture that reflects these values. In this post, we will discuss how leaders can signal cultural values through communication.

Communicating Organizational Values

The first step in signaling cultural values through communication is ensuring that employees know what the values are. It is difficult to build a culture based on values if employees do not understand and support those values. Leaders should make it clear what the key values are and articulate why they matter.

For instance, when Reed Hastings, Netflix CEO, discusses his corporate culture, he emphasizes the value of freedom and responsibility. According to Hastings, providing employees with freedom leads to innovation and creativity. He underscores this value by ensuring that Netflix has a policy of unlimited vacation days, which shows that the company trusts its employees to be responsible for managing their own time.

Using Stories to Illustrate Values

One of the most effective ways to communicate culture is through storytelling. Stories can help bring culture to life for employees by connecting values to real-life experiences. Leaders should communicate stories of how employees have lived organizational values.

For example, Southwest, a low-cost airline, has a corporate value of creating a friendly environment where employees and customers are treated with respect. Stories of Southwest employees going out of their way to help customers have become legendary. These stories have been passed down internally, creating a culture of customer service and teamwork at all levels of the organization.

Leading by Example

Leaders should model the behavior they expect from employees and demonstrate culture through their actions. Leaders who embody the values they wish to foster can have a significant impact on their employees.

For instance, the former CEO of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi, was known for her commitment to gender diversity. She was also known to involve herself in corporate programs for employees, like a fitness and wellness program. Nooyi exemplified the cultural values she promoted at PepsiCo, and her actions inspired employees to embrace and support those values as well.

Use of Symbols and Artifacts

Using symbols and artifacts can help communicate values to employees. Symbols can serve as a reminder of the cultural values and commitment to them. Artifacts can help reinforce the idea that the company values its culture by putting tangible reminders of what has been accomplished.

For example, Zappos, an online retailer, emphasizes the importance of building a strong company culture. Its corporate office is decorated with a large tree made up of art and photographs of employees, which symbolizes its ideals. The office also features a gold bell that employees can ring when they make a substantial sale or accomplish a significant task. These symbols and artifacts represent the values of innovation, work-life balance, and celebrating success.

Conclusion

In sum, communicating organizational values is essential in developing a corporate culture. Leaders play a crucial role in signaling cultural values through communication, which can have a significant impact on employees. By using storytelling, symbolic representation, leading by example, and clear communication, leaders can develop and reinforce organizational values to create a positive culture that reflects its values. When companies use communication to embed cultural values, they create a powerful asset that can drive sustained success.