MEETINGS THAT Work for You
FROM THE CEO
Jack L . Kopnisky
President & CEO Sterling National Bank
Thank you for reading the previous issue of Connect . Now we shift our focus to transforming and sustaining culture to drive innovation and company results . Company culture can be just as important as marketing startegy and business plans . The impact culture can have on profit margin , individual employee performance , team dynamics , and continuous process improvement are what I , and probably most business leaders , think about daily .
A culture is a way of life for a group of people — the behaviors , beliefs , values , and symbols that they accept , generally without thinking about them , and that are passed along by communication and imitation from one generation to the next .
This past Fall , I ’ ve invested extra time to consider what culture means within Sterling National Bank . I ’ ve witnessed that teams enjoy themselves more and perform at higher levels when they believe leadership embodies our company culture . As the leader of this company , in turn , nothing pleases me more than seeing our culture lived out in the marketplace . Client feedback remains the best metric for gauging if our culture is effectively demonstrated throughout our company . Developing and sustaining culture is critical given that today ’ s talent , buyers , and supply chain vendors only want to work for , buy from , sell to , and promote brands that speak to extraordinarily positive character and values .
In light of this , we ’ ve designed this issue to provide business leaders like you with the necessary tools to ignite a needed shift in culture or to enhance the effective , constructive culture that ’ s currently advancing your company toward its goals . Understand how collaborative processes became the root of modern business culture on page 7 . Learn what the ROI looks like for companies investing in workplace culture on page 21 . And enjoy tips from Kip Tindell on page 22 . I ’ m confident that there ’ s something here that will ring true for your business .
Sincerely ,
HEALTHY TEAM , PRODUCTIVE TEAM
Quick and Easy Ways to Beat the Winter Blues
> With winter ’ s chill upon us — and with it the temptation to hibernate — you might want to think about heading off the accompanying lull at the pass . By fostering an environment that makes it easier to make healthy lifestyle choices , you can both improve team members ’ health ( which also means improved productivity ) and reinforce your company culture through fun , engaging activities at a time when things usually begin to feel dull . Some thought-starters :
TEAM EFFORT . Whether starting workout groups or initiating diet groups built around responsible food choices , the key to success is to encourage employees to do it together .
PLAN AND CELEBRATE . Help members set achievable goals and then make it part of the process to share progress and applaud successes with the team .
OFFER REWARDS . Offer incentives along the way to help team members keep taking part — especially those that relate to their goals and / or activities .
SWITCH OUT SNACKS . Help your team make healthy choices when snacking at the office or during company events . Swap sweets , candy , and soda with natural treats like nuts , fruit , guacamole , and vitamin water .
SET THE TONE . When employees see leadership participating , they ’ re more likely to feel supported and inspired to take part themselves .
MEETINGS THAT Work for You
> The speed at which decision-making and process improvement take place in a business today requires a range of inputs . But too often , awkward and poorly planned meetings create more issues for a company than supplying the much-needed solutions they promise . Avoid confusion and productivity-sapping , open-ended group conversations by :
COMMUNICATING THE PURPOSE . Clearly identify the objective ( s ) of the meeting in advance . Is the focus administrative , strategic or operational ? And what exactly is the goal ?
CHOOSING THE VENUE . While initially expressed in the invite , this is also affected by the meeting venue . Meeting in a coffee shop versus a conference room enables attendees to drop their guard , whereas standing in an office common area can inspire efficient thinking and discussion by keeping meetings brief and focused .
KEEPING IT CLEAN . Invite only essential voices and streamline visual aids . Often less is more : consider ditching the PowerPoint slides altogether .
MIXING IT UP . Incorporate unwritten rules such as “ No Meeting Monday ” or “ Standing Only Meetings ” to encourage productivity among team members .
BEING PREPARED . The facilitator should encourage and be ready for rapid feedback . By quickly absorbing and curating it , they can more readily summarize the outcomes and next steps .
GIVING IT AWAY . Look for and summarize one to three top takeaways , delegating action steps before employees vanish from the meeting .
For regularly scheduled meetings , try experimenting with these suggestions until you establish a routine format that works best for you and your team .
4 | SNB . COM // CONNECT CULTURE WINTER 2016