The Non-Negotiable Rules are a powerful dimension within the Stages of Growth. They define the laws that a business must follow in order to be successful. The fact is that every natural system, whether it is a forest or a commercial business, succeeds by aligning itself to fundamental natural laws that establish order and balance.
Workplace Community
Workplace Community refers to the overall health and integrity of the group of people who work together in an organization. The Rules that govern these interactions have to do with promoting strong and clear communication, providing a common framework that makes it easier to get things done, and establishing common values.
Of vital importance in Workplace Community is establishing a feedback loop between supervisors and employees. This ensures that ideas are flowing from the bottom up and that leadership has the opportunity to infuse the organization with its thoughts and ideas. A feedback loop is important from the very beginning of a business.
Core Values are another area of great importance for a healthy Workplace Community. Core Values are about establishing the company’s promise to the team (as opposed to Brand Values, which are the promise to the market). Make sure that the Core Values are understood and upheld by the team for a unified community. Additionally, strong Core Values serve to attract and retain the right talent.
As companies grow, on-boarding new employees becomes more common and also more critical. With a larger leadership team, it’s important that everyone is on the same page. Many of the Non-Negotiable Rules for Workplace Community help ensure that newcomers to the organization are fitting in to the community.
Another Rule that becomes relevant as the company grows is to hold unifying, company-wide events. Employees should have a citizenship mindset towards the company, and events are an effective way to pull everyone together and establish a sense of collective identity.
As with all the dimensions of Non-Negotiable Rules, the Rules related to Workplace Community are cumulative; you can’t skip rules and expect to be a healthy, thriving business. To advance from one Stage of Growth to the next, you need to have at least 80% of the Rules covered for the current Stage. Consider them the graduation requirements needed to transition well into the next Stage.
Discover the Rules for Your Business’s Stage of Growth
How is your company doing with the Non-Negotiable Rules for Workplace Community? Take the assessment and download a report customized to your business’s Stage of Growth. In only two minutes you’ll get valuable information that will boost morale, improve communication, and enhance the overall health of your company.