BUSINESSMANAGEMENTREVIEW.COMNOVEMBER 202319THERE ARE ABRACADABRA MOMENTS, OF COURSE, BUT NO SHORT CUTS. INSTEAD, IT REQUIRES CONTINUOUS AND CAREFUL MANAGEMENT BECAUSE OUR CULTURE IS THE MAGICAL SPELL HOLDING EVERYTHING TOGETHERis your magical superpower. This can be achieved in multiple ways, such as supporting employees, sharing ideas, removing barriers, hierarchy, and red tape. "Once you start to change the culture of the company, everything else happens fast". Indra Nooyi, Former CEO of PepsiCoAnother thought from our own CEO, Scott O'Neil from his book `Be Where Your Feet Are' talks about the concept of "Assuming Positive Intent (API)". This is a way of reframing interactions we have with each other. That short, abrupt email from your peer can take on several meanings, and you may even take it as a personal attack. Instead, if you assume there is a positive intent behind it and they may have been rushed or having a bad day, it can de-escalate the situation in your own mind almost immediately. Assuming positive intent is a great lens to free your mind and create wellbeing in the workplace. Give it a try to see if it can help you collaborate and connect the magic!When connecting the magic, leadership cohesion and behaviours are critical. Personally, a non-negotiable is to ensure our leaders talk positively about each other, by practicing `loyalty in absence'. Conflicts should be encouraged to be healthy and to occur `on-top-of the table' and not behind people's backs.Another way to show leadership cohesion is through symbolic actions. Encourage leaders to get involved across departments, teams, and business units in a supportive nature, not an interfering way. This could mean leading projects, attending each other's meetings and other public expressions of cohesion and camaraderie. It is important to remember that it is not always about the individual but the collective cohesive strength of all leaders that will help drive the connected magical culture.Creating memories and moments together to build stronger connections is also important. Spending time together allows leaders to discover and leverage each other's strengths. People like to associate and connect with those they like, admire and trust. Find ways to build cross-functional project teams and communities to enhance connections.Great relationships, communication and connection between leaders helps show employees they have the support to be successful. Last year, in Merlin Entertainments Asia Pacific, 91% of our employees were favourable to the prompt `I know what I need to be successful in my role' and 89% were favourable to "I feel part of a team'. So, connect the magic to drive your company's cultural change for success.3] CHERISH THE MAGICAn important aspect of a magical culture is the organisations' ability to focus on the wellbeing of employees, by its leaders, in the areas of physical, mental, financial, and social health. What is sometimes underestimated is the magical power of appreciation and the positive impact it has on employee wellbeing both directly and indirectly. You know what it feels like when you or someone else is recognised for doing a great job ­ just makes you happy, right? Cherish and nurture your employees and the magic will flow.Developing a growth mindset in an organisation is another important area that can enhance a company to create a more fluid problem-solving ability. Helping leaders understand the fundamental traits of a growth mindset is key.Creating a physically and psychologically safe workplace is integral to a magical culture. I have found that the authentic, humanistic leaders really understand this and are your best cultural ambassadors. They know how to drive `people first culture' and believe that `people are the competitive advantage' in any organisation. In Merlin Entertainments, Asia Pacific, 87% of our employees told us "I can be my authentic self at work" and this is a direct result of cherishing the magic.Ultimately, the right culture doesn't happen by magic. The right culture is different for each organisation to design, adjust and change, depending on their priorities. There are abracadabra moments, but no shortcuts, so take a laser like focus on cultural problems to cast your spell and create a magical organisational culture.
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