The Hidden Reason Your Teams Underperform: Fix Your Culture First
We see it time and time again. Leaders want to improve their peoples’ performance, but they often overlook the most critical factor, their organizational/team culture. You can pump money into resources, better IT equipment (or AI tools), and have pizza parties. Those things won’t motivate your people. It is likely your culture that needs more investment.
I get it, you’ve heard the cliché that “employee engagement drives performance.” But what does that really mean? It means that your people are either burning the candle at both ends, doing just enough, doing the bare minimum, or encouraging others to not do anything. Leaders’ actions and inactions affect whether your teams slide across the spectrum.
You should strive to establish and maintain a healthy organizational and team culture. You want an environment where people feel safe, empowered, connected, and focused on meaningful results. Let’s break down the cultural elements that make or break your teams.
Psychological Safety
If your team members are holding back ideas or concerns, your culture may lack psychological safety. This is the belief that people can speak up, ask questions, and admit mistakes without fear of blame or punishment.
Why Psychological Safety Matters:
Surfaces problems before they escalate.
Sparks innovation through open idea-sharing.
Keeps employees engaged and committed.
Without psychological safety, you’re operating on shaky ground. Your people won’t fully contribute, and your team’s potential stays capped.
Empowerment
A disempowered team is a disengaged team. Empowerment happens when leaders trust employees to make decisions, lead initiatives, and take responsibility for outcomes.
What Empowerment Delivers:
Accountability at every level.
Higher motivation and initiative.
People who see themselves as owners, not just workers.
Team Cohesion
Even talented individuals won’t succeed without team cohesion. Cohesion builds connection, trust, and collaboration.
Team Cohesion Leads To:
Stronger collaboration across functions.
Healthy conflict resolution.
Agile and adaptable teams.
Cohesive teams support each other, share information freely, and adapt together when challenges arise.
Improved Results
When psychological safety, empowerment, and cohesion are in place, the results are undeniable.
Healthy Culture Drives:
Higher productivity and performance.
Better retention and lower turnover.
Faster innovation and market responsiveness.
Alignment between strategy and execution.
Your culture is the heartbeat of your team and success!
Ready to Assess Your Culture?
If you’re noticing underperformance, start with your culture. Our APC Cultural Health Assessment can help you diagnose the gaps and build a roadmap to a stronger, higher-performing organization.
