Care and concern in an organization. What was your first thought when you read that sentence, was it a thought of "great, another article on being soft"? How often do we discredit the value of care and concern in our organizations? In our organizations, it's easy to focus on exclusively getting things done. "Git 'er done!" is the mantra! There is obvious value in accomplishing things, hitting milestones, and watching the bottom line - it is a must! But, what is equally important is the communication of care and concern for those that you are with. Why does it matter? Could it be that the amount of care and concern that exists in your organization affects the bottom line just as much? In 1984 the University of California at Berkley professor Charles O'Reilly wrote a paper based on data from several high-technology firms. He found that "top management credibility is clearly related to increased involvement and commitment levels among employees." (From Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It by Kouzes and Posner). The return in employee loyalty, productivity, and commitment will much greater when they feel the need for care and concern is met.
What is the cost when employees don't give it their all and are not committed to the organization? Sloppy work, employee theft and workers compensation claims all increase - just to name a few. The very success of the organization hinges on this. When you consider your own credibility as a leader, what do you see? What amount of resource do you put towards yours or your organizations leadership development? Out of the four parts of credibility; care and concern account for 50%. How valuable is your credibility in your own organization? With your clients? What do you use to measure or calibrate your own credibility? Find out more about
http://cultureroi.com/ and credibility.