Not only a leader, but a person as well

In today's fast-paced and competitive business landscape, creating a high support, high performing culture within your team is essential for driving innovation, fostering collaboration, and achieving exceptional results. In my experience, many leaders focus solely on performance metrics and bottom-line results. However, I find that cultivating a culture of support is equally critical for sustaining long-term success and employee engagement.

This all sounds well and good, but how do you actually do it? I can’t say I’m the expert at all but I’ll share my thoughts, perspectives and a possible blueprint for building this culture within your teams.

I believe the foundation of a high support culture begins with an empathetic and authentic leadership. I am a person, as are the people who I lead. I never forget that they’re people, just like me. 

Leaders should always take the time to truly understand team members' individual strengths, challenges, and aspirations. Showing genuine care and concern for people’s wellbeing, both personally and professionally builds trust and fosters meaningful connections, laying the groundwork for a supportive and productive environment. Let’s not make it more difficult or stressful that it needs to be.

Communication is key to building a high performing culture and I always encourage open dialogue among team members, where ideas, feedback, and concerns are freely shared and valued. A culture of transparency is essential. By keeping the team informed, about organisational goals, decisions, and challenges, we can build more trust and empower team members to make informed decisions while aligning to personal, team and organisational objectives. I always (or at least, always try to) set clearly defined expectations and goals to provide clarity and direction for the team. This shouldn’t just happen at appraisal time or with your team only, it is an ethos that I live by whenever I speak to anyone at work.

I find that collaboration fuels creativity and innovation, but moreover gives people the freedom and space to make mistakes. The last thing you want to do is create an environment where mistakes are feared, as this just fuels more errors. Creating opportunities for cross-function collaboration and teamwork, where diverse perspectives are valued and leveraged is imperative for success of any team, department, or project. I like to foster a culture of psychological safety, where team members feel comfortable taking risks, sharing ideas, and challenging the status quo. 

The world is bigger than me, work is just one aspect of a person’s life, so I think providing a supportive culture which prioritises the wellbeing and work-life balance of the team is non-negotiable. I always say that their own mental health should be their first priority Without that they can’t perform at work or be who they need to be outside of work. That might sound selfish when you first read this, but when you think about it pragmatically, people need to be at their best to give their best. My own top priority is myself, then everything thereafter falls in to place nicely when I feel good. Obviously, that is all easier said than done, but you get the point. As I have suffered with poor mental health over the years, I recognise the importance of mental and physical health. I fully promote and support wellness initiatives, flexible work arrangements, and stress management resources. Like I say, I try to lead by example by prioritising self-care and setting boundaries to prevent burnout; or at least identifying it before it is too late.

As a leader you should embrace diversity, equity and inclusion as fundamental pillars of your team's culture. Creating an environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and included, regardless of their background or identity helps build that team ethic, which is easier to manage and work in, rather than when everyone is battling with one-another. Trust me, I have lived both and the former is far easier to negotiate. Giving people a sense of belonging by promoting diversity in hiring, decision-making, and leadership roles means that you are not only being honest to yourself, but you’re being fair to everyone. I treat everyone differently who I meet, as we’re all individuals, but always treat people fairly. I will stand by that forever. 

Practice makes perfect and if I was leave you with a parting snippet of ‘Callan advice’ it’d be to remember that cultivating a supportive culture is an ongoing journey that requires dedication, communication, and continuous improvement. With the right leadership and commitment, your team can achieve anything you set your mind to.