Bill Hogg
Contributing Writer
Bill Hogg & Associates

Focusing on the small fixes will not put out the fire. Instead, this approach only takes up your time and leads to your company losing sight of larger, more important issues.

Successful companies understand that achieving success is about addressing larger culture issues within the organization.  Getting your organizational culture right is what leads to building a high performance work environment. This starts with leadership.

A high performance work environment starts with leadership

The most important component of a high performance work environment is people. Engaged and motivated people, when supported by appropriate tools, resources, and leadership will help your company achieve the desired results.

The reality is the drive and motivation you expect from your employees is not always there. Without the proper guidance, support, and a clear vision of what is expected of them, employees are not going to create the results you want. And, how can you expect them to? They are often unclear on where you want to go.

They are looking for leaders to guide them. This is why high performance work environments start with leadership.

Your primary role as a leader is to create an environment where your employees can be successful. If you want them to thrive in their role, not only do you need to understand what they require to be successful; you need to give it to them.

To set the example there are four vital leadership behaviours that communicate performance expectation.

Leadership behaviors that create a high performance environment

As a leader it is your role to shape organizational culture and create a high performance environment. This is accomplished through four vital behaviours:

1. Develop a clear inspiring vision: The first step in any journey is deciding where you want to go. Without the end in mind, you are just wandering around and could end up anywhere. Having clarity in your own mind of where you want to end up is essential to developing a plan to achieve your goal.

Your vision should be something you have a personal passion for achieving. After all, it will be hard work and not easily achieved — so if you are not inspired you will soon lose your motivation and those around you will quickly lose theirs as well.

2.Communicate an inspiring vision: Communicating an inspiring vision is more than simply talking about it or putting up posters on the walls. It is living the vision. As a leader you need to model the attitudes and behaviours you expect from your team. Importantly, you need to make the vision part of the everyday conversation, so it isn’t simply words on a wall — but an attitude that supports a clear picture of where you want the organization to go.

If you cannot clearly communicate your vision, your employees will lack direction and will adopt their own version of what they “think” your vision might be.

An inspiring vision needs to be articulated clearly and with passion if you want your employees to connect, adopt, and accept it. Your employees must understand two things about your vision for the company:

1  . How their role in the company contributes to your vision

2  . What is expected of them in their role within the company

If these points are not clear, their level of engagement and     motivation will suffer. You as a leader need to take specific and intentional action to ensure employees understand their role in order to increase their level of engagement and strengthen their commitment to the company.