Translator: Valérie ESPANET
Reviewer: Zsófia Herczeg Imagine for a moment that you're miserable at work, and you're thinking about quitting. But you're really good at your job. Colleagues come to you
when they need help, clients praise you. You have a supportive manager, and you may even be paid really well. Would you walk away from that? Now, I know what you're thinking. Why would someone walk away
from what sounds like a dream job? But I know that I have. And at first, I actually used to be
so guilty and feel so ashamed for feeling so miserable
and wanting to leave. But the more that I shared my story, the more I realized that I was not alone. Because it turns out that great people
quit good jobs all of the time. The real question is: Why? There's a saying in American business that people do not quit companies, From my personal
and professional experience, I believe there's something
much more at play than just people quitting leaders. I believe great people
do not quit companies or leaders. Great people quit organizational cultures. Today, I want to talk to you
about two things. One, why that happens, and two, how you can create
a meaningful work environment in which great people
like yourselves would want to stay. You see, any organization is comprised
of two categories of people: employees and leaders. Employees and leaders work
together under a set of defined rules. This is the definition of a culture. What's interesting is that the culture of a company
is similar to that of the human body. Like your own body,
cultures have a DNA imprint that transfers messages
created by the people working together. If we take a closer look
at a culture's DNA strands, we will find that they are encoded
with information like values, attitudes and beliefs shared
by the people working together. So in this context, culture then provides
a sequence of instruction and code for how people are treated, how decisions are made, who gets hired or fired and what behaviors are rewarded, promoted, valued and recognized. And just like your body, the culture of a company adapts to any environment
that it finds itself in. The human body
is a fascinating instrument in that it can go from fight-or-flight
survival mode to thrive depending on how favorable conditions are
for growth and sustainability. Cultures are no different. So you see, when people at work are unhappy, especially great people, it stresses the entire organization. This leads to a company culture operating in survival mode. So what does a culture
in survival mode feel like? If you hold your breath the moment you walk into work in an attempt to "make it"
through the day, and you do not exhale
until you leave the office, and you do this day in and day out, that is a clear indication
you may be working in a company culture operating in survival mode. Constantly working
in this type of environment is at best uninspiring,
and at worst, it is exhausting. The hard truth is, many organizations operate culturally So as you can see, this guy
is clearly in survival mode right now. So, what does a culture
in survival mode look like? It is an environment
where at the top of the house, there is a lack of clear leadership. And because there's no clear leadership, this leads to a misalignment
of the vision or direction, where the activities and decisions
made throughout the entire organization do not match its core values. And since the vision is misaligned, this leads to no clarity in the roles
and responsibility of its people. And because there's
no clarity in the roles, this leads to compromised
values or beliefs. And it becomes a place where mediocre performance
is accepted and even encouraged. Once you have compromised values,
this leads to toxic behavior being tolerated by employees
and leaders alike. And it becomes a place
where people are constantly disrespected for no good reason, and everyone's opinions
are not valued as equally. Once toxic behavior seeps in, this leads to a cliquish environment. And it becomes a place
where there's a lack of diverse thoughts, the wrong people being promoted, and no appreciation
for community, affinity and recognition of others. And guess what. Once you have a lack
of diversity and inclusion, this leads to stagnant organizational
structures and processes, and it manifests into a place
that becomes too difficult and too political
to get any damn thing done - which leads to great people
quitting good jobs. But it doesn't have to be this way. On the other hand, what does a thriving culture look like? I'm going to provide you
three specific examples. It's the successful online
entertainment company that disrupted an entire industry
with a thriving culture. It is a place where people
are very thoughtful in how they hire employees
and leaders for culture, and never ever wavering
from that recruitment criteria. It is a place where only high performance
is accepted and valued. It is a place where creativity
and innovation are the norm, and people are empowered
to take charge of their careers as well as the company's direction. Or take a social media giant that created an entirely new sector
with a thriving culture. It is a place where employees and leaders
share the same open workplace. It is a place where trust
and transparency are bound to create the perfect backdrop
for bold problem-solving solutions. It is a place where it's about being accountable
for how decisions are made, and what behaviors are rewarded. I personally remember the very first time
I experienced a thriving culture. It was actually with a former client
of a financial services organization. That experience still brings
a smile to my face 10 years later. I used to love going to that client site because every day I was part
of something really special. It was so amazing. Everyone had a voice, and they rallied
to solve the company's challenges. And in meetings, I actually couldn't tell
the C-suite executive from the entry level employee. And that is because in thriving cultures, the line between leaders
and employees are blurred because everyone
is empowered to take charge. An increasing number of companies
are beginning to realize that culture can be a key
distinct competitive advantage to mitigate against market threats. In a global human capital trends report, over 50 percent of CEOs surveyed are currently attempting
to change their culture in response to shifting talent markets. In today's competitive,
looming environment, there is a threat
of disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence. With robotic automation, your very livelihood may be at stake without a thriving culture. You cannot afford
to ignore the problem anymore. According to a Harvard Business Review, adaptability is a key distinct advantage
of thriving cultures. And companies that get this understand that culture is the key
to sustaining market competitiveness. While I'm not saying
that thriving cultures are perfect, thriving cultures are about performance. Thriving cultures adapt. Most of all, thriving
cultures get results. Are you ready to take on the challenge
of owning your experience and creating a meaningful
work environment? (Laughs) Employees, stop accepting the mediocrity, being dished out by colleagues, management and leadership teams alike. Ask the hard question, get involved in problem-solving, be part of the conversation. And take time to reflect: What is stopping you and your colleagues from coming in and doing your best work? And liberally share those ideas
with everyone around you. Last but not least, employees, if you have done everything,
and I do mean everything, and there still is no change
after a concerted effort, you have the power to walk away and find an environment
that aligns with your values. But remember, employees, you are the validators of a culture. So if you stay and become complacent, you also bear responsibility
should your colleague walk away. Leaders, take charge of the narrative
you create every single day. Leaders, you are
the regulators of a culture. Step up to your role accordingly. Step up! You do not have to accept
survival mode as your reality or the reality of your people. And that also doesn't mean, leaders,
to go and dump the problem onto HR to create yet another forced
employee engagement program and then walking away. Because what you're essentially doing, is putting the burden
of your leadership responsibility of owning and shaping culture onto a business function
instead of onto yourself. Leaders, how are you conveying a vision that makes people excited
to want to come to work? Walk the halls and talk to your people, and figure out what do they need. Do they need empowerment
to make their own decisions, processes improved, coaching, new experiences, political obstacles removed? Just like the body, it is your decisions
and habits as a leader that either creates a thriving culture or reinforces a culture
in survival mode. So, imagine that instead of being
miserable at work you woke up every day
excited and energized to create a thriving culture
that becomes so amazing you not only attract
the best possible colleagues but you help build
a business that can adapt and thrive in the digital economy. Employees and leaders have the power to shape
the conditions of the work environment. And maybe with your help, we can wake up in a world where great people do not quit good jobs, but good jobs do not quit great people. Thank you. (Applause)
