Why is a positive work culture important?
And why is it not a necessity !!
I know these two statements seem to contradict each other, but trust me, it all makes sense once you read through this.
What is a positive work culture?
Assume you’re an intern at a news magazine who made a huge mistake on one of the headlines. Your mentor recognized it right away, and no harm was done.
Your mentor can choose two approaches to deal with it.
A) Making you accountable for it and seeing that you are on the RADAR
B) Making sure that you learnt your lesson and not escalate it
Now, which of these two is a positive work culture?
You probably got it wrong!
The first one is a positive work culture, while the second one is neither productive nor does it induce a responsible culture in the newcomer.
Anything that makes you accountable at work without getting bullied mentally or physically is a good work culture. The more responsibilities you handle, the faster you learn and grow. All this while not getting stressed and during specific work hours.
Why is it important?
Recollect the last time you were stuck in traffic behind an irregular driver, rash driver, or, for that matter, even a slow driver, someone about whom you thought, “Arre agar ye nahi hota tho main ab tak kitna aage chale jaata tha.” (Translation: “Hadn’t it been for this person, I would have gone much ahead.” )
This is exactly what happens when you find yourself under a bad manager.
Not all of us have the same potential or similar backgrounds. Some may learn it too fast, and some may take a lifetime. It’s the responsibility of a manager to create a culture or a path for everyone to thrive.
Most of my connections and friends are now in a stage where they will be team leaders or managers very shortly. I often hear some of them complaining about how their workload is higher while some of their teammates, who are the Managers’ favorites, are terribly underloaded but are always in the front row during R&R or Appraisals.
I always encourage them with a smile “When you get to be on the giving end, let the recipient receive something different and better than what you got.”
I am particularly fortunate to work with mentors, managers, and team leads who are encouraging, supportive, and transparent enough to discuss my career path and even my resignations much ahead of an official submission.
So let’s now see the other side of the coin.
Why is it, not a necessity?
On a daily basis, we do many things, from work to pursuing various hobbies.
It’s good to have admirers for our work, but not having them shouldn’t make any difference to what we do. Anything that’s done with passion will ultimately earn an audience that will turn into a following over the years.
In the same way, even at work, if you have a toxic boss and/or a stinky work culture, let that not disturb your growth. It will definitely take a toll on your mental well-being. Just try insulating your skill development from all the mumbo-jumbo that’s going on, and once you are good enough for a different role and place, leave all this behind and move on.
Thus, a good work culture is not a necessity for you to thrive, so don’t make not having one your limitation for anything.
If you like the content and would like to collaborate with me or hire me for a gig, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me at thinesoliloquent@gmail.com.
And if you are a regular reader and are not a member yet, consider subscribing to Medium with my referral below, this is of no extra cost to you but will contribute in a small commission to me. Thanks 🙏
