As we head into the second half of the year, I’m hearing more about the impact of workplace culture on employees, especially given that global uncertainty and the current business environment is causing so much stress and emotional angst for individuals. Employees are looking for workplace cultures that can help appease some of this.
Here’s what I’ve observed after 20 years of coaching leaders: the most self-aware leaders rarely have culture problems. They understand that culture isn’t something that happens to them—it’s something they create through every interaction and decision. Meanwhile, people don’t leave companies, they leave leaders. The question isn’t whether culture matters—it’s whether you’re the kind of leader who creates the culture people thrive in.
Here are 5 Ways to Become the Leader Everyone Wants to Work For
1. Champion Your People, Not Just Your Projects: Make it a habit to publicly acknowledge individual contributions and team wins. When you advocate for your team with stakeholders, you build loyalty that goes beyond paychecks. People want to work for leaders who have their backs and help them shine.
2. Make “Company-First” Your Default Setting: Before major decisions, ask yourself: “Is this what’s best for the organization, or what’s best for me?” Leaders who consistently choose company success over personal gain earn trust and respect. Your team notices when you sacrifice personal credit for collective achievement.
3. Create Psychological Safety Through Transparency: Where you can, share the context behind decisions, acknowledge organizational challenges, and admit when you don’t have all the answers. When people understand the “why” behind change, they’re more likely to support it. Transparency builds trust, and trust drives performance.
4. Recognize the Positive and Negative Impact of Your Actions: Pay attention to how your mood, communication style, and decisions affect others. Are people energized or drained after interacting with you? Self-aware leaders monitor their influence and adjust accordingly. Your emotional state becomes your team’s weather system.
5. Celebrate Others’ Success as Your Own: When your team succeeds, make them the heroes of the story. When things go wrong, take responsibility without throwing anyone under the bus. This creates a culture where people feel safe to take risks, innovate, and perform at their best.
As always, here are some good resources to help you build a positive and high-performing culture:
📚 Read: Harvard Business Review Article: “5 Factors That Make for a Great Employee Experience” – Research-backed insights on the trust-performance connection.
📚 Read: “The Culture Code” by Daniel Coyle – Practical strategies for creating environments where people do their best work.
👂 Listen: Building Winning Cultures with Dr. Amber Selking on what drives team excellence.
😎 Research: Deloitte Human Capital Trends Report 2025 – Latest data on how culture impacts business results and employee satisfaction.
P.S. If you want to measure how well you drive a great culture or discover the gap between how you see your cultural impact and how others experience it, our Self-Aware Leader Digital 360-Degree Survey reveals exactly where you stand as a culture creator.
Take the FREE Assessment – Normally $99, free for a limited time.