How To Create A Workplace Culture That Feels Good

Have you ever been turned off by someone instantly? You may not even know why you just have a feeling. Have you ever noticed what happens when you have that feeling? You may tense up or even shut down. This is the last thing we want our people to feel like.  We want to create a workplace culture that feels good for everyone. 

Our bodies are percipient forms. They perceive direct signals from our environment that our brains (through mindset) sometimes misinterpret.  Our mindset is the lens we look through. Much like wearing rose coloured glasses or a negative set.  What we see will be distorted and changed by whichever lens we choose.

Our perception changes our reality

Think of how powerful this concept is. If our mind is primed to find the good in a situation vs. the bad, the resulting vibrational energy will be different. Therefore, when a thought flows by, depending on our mindset, we may perceive it as something good or something bad.

Take rain for example. If it has been flooding in your part of the world, you will perceive rain as bad. If on the other hand, you have been in an endless drought, your perception will be that rain is good. But as you and I both know Rain is Rain. Thought is still thought.

We control our lives by controlling our perspective

As Bruce Lipton states in the Biology of Belief

“Your perspective is always limited by how much you know. Expand your knowledge and you will transform your mind.”

Not only that, but our perception can also turn that thought into feelings thereby creating energy.

What I want to focus on here is that we, as humans, have the innate ability to read the energy of others. We are beings of energy. 

We need to harness the power of energy and pay attention to it

Part of “energy work” for leaders is to listen to your body, soul, and inner voice. Many times leaders ignore their innate intuition and try to convince themselves otherwise. More often than not, the leader eventually regrets not listening to that voice.

The other part of “energy work” for leaders is to be intentional with how you show up.

“Be Nice or Leave”

This saying reminds me of the importance of grace and compassion in leadership.

A feel-good workplace culture

People are open and receptive when they are in a state of growth. According to Lipton, every living cell can only be in one of two states: growth or defence. In growth, the cell wall is open much like a screen door – allowing the transfer of information flow in and out. In defence, it is more like a solid door – closed down to the environment in full protection mode.

If that is the case, wouldn’t you want your team to perceive your actions with the intentions you put behind them? But how can they if they don’t have your worldview or if they are looking at you from a closed-off state – one of defence? If the energy we emanate is negative, it can put our team on the defensive. Creating a workplace culture of open receptivity is the quickest way to create engagement.

Feel good practices

Even when giving feedback, we can do it in such a way that people respond positively. Create your workplace culture of openness using the following practices:

1. Smile. Easy yet effective. But smile as if you mean it.
2. Show interest. Is there anything going on outside of work that may be affecting them?
3. Give some good with any bad. Use And not But. Any good followed by But is bad.
4. Create room for growth. Mistakes happen and offer great times for learning.
5. Ask for thoughts and input on how improvement can be made, how things can play out better next time.
6. Reassure them that it is not personal. Someone once told me that there are no bad people, just bad behaviours. Whether you believe this or not, don’t put down the person – just the action.
7. Tell stories that relate. Give them the why.
8. Increase their perceptions – grow their mindset. Show them how to see things in a different way.
9. Lead the way. Show your team how energy works. How being more positive than negative feels better.
10. Praise in public. Give feedback in private.
11. Act now. There is literally no time like the present. Don’t put it off for an opportune moment. Immediate feedback is best.
12. Be very direct and clear with feedback. Clarity & Directness make great partners. No skirting around the issues.
13. Talk. Talk. & then talk some more. An environment of constant ongoing communication, inviting questions and thoughts, will break down the walls that block the true connection.
14. Spread gratitude regularly. A simple thank you goes a long way.

By using these tips, you can start to create a workplace culture that feels good.  A culture that is full of open, receptive energy.

Images by Depositphotos