Working hard is only part of the equation. Time, dedication, loyalty, trust and various other qualities complete the workplace culture and overall job satisfaction. First, ask yourself a few questions: How can you step outside of the status quo? How can you make a difference in your company?

Begin with observation. Be open and receptive to changes and other viewpoints which will encourage the same from your employees. Learn and observe how the people you manage complete various tasks. If the there is an easier more efficient way, teach them. Once the culture of the company is established as a growing team rather than individual entities, the company will begin to benefit.

Be the energy you want to see. Encourage others and enlighten them through your positivity. As you walk into the office, smile and engage with your employees in an upbeat, personable way. Acknowledge a job well done and spark creativity. Others will begin to imitate the positive example you set making for an enjoyable workplace setting.

It is important to reach outside of your company walls as a team. Volunteer and be a member of your community. By doing so, it will help build your business relations and increase motivation and dedication to the firm. Helping others creates a sense of purpose, and if your company offers that sense of purpose, employees will be happier with the work they do in the office.

As senior executives move up the ranks, their skills and talents become solidified, making them more efficient in their job and less prone to receiving feedback.

While top executives may welcome criticism, most may not want to accept constructive feedback based upon their position or the level within the organization.

It is important to instill a constructive and creative way for top executives to receive feedback due to the success factors that can be reached within all levels of the organization managing at a high level.

Executives must be open to building relationships with subordinates and cultivating a culture built on strong, open communication. By doing so, employees at all levels will begin to integrate, openness into their work tasks with peers leading to ultimate success for projects and outward facing materials. Not only will employee trust be strengthened, but the entire culture of the organization will also thrive as both management and subordinates can actively engage in constructive communication and improvements.

Think of the organization as a blank slate. If the company was rebuilt today, what features of the current company would be brought into the new business? What features would be left behind? What employees would be brought in? What employees would not pass the interview process? By having top-level management take the time to examine these questions and intuitively look at the success and failures of the company, recommendations and a new path for implementation will become more evident. By creating an environment of feedback and coaching, it will provide a fresh outlook on the company processes while still allowing the executive accept feedback in an alternative way.

Becoming a great leader comes with hard work and various levels of dedication. While it may not be an easy path, the end of the road to success will be met with the both personal and organizational achievements.

Lead by example. Let others know how you want office practices to be run by being the first to fall in line. Set the tone and allow others to follow. This will allow for employees to begin to trust you as a leader and believe that you mean what you say. Not only will this help improve the general workings of the business, it will also improve the workplace culture.

Effectively communicate. Don’t speak to be heard, but rather, speak to be understood. Take time out of your day and listen to your most valuable asset,  your employees. The openness and willing to hear what they have to say will help facilitate an open dialogue. Ensure you properly communicate so that company downfalls and achievements are easily heard, understood and acted on. It is important to shorten non-imperative messages so when a time-consuming message arises, employees take the importance seriously.

Learn from the past leaders. Think about how successful the company is currently and what can be changed to grow with greater success. Incorporate the achievements of leaders into the current culture. Inspire those around you by implementing proven practices and discovering new ways to help the organization grow so you can leave a legacy behind.

Continually learning and enhancing your knowledge will provide you with new ideas that can complement your vision and ideas to your organization. Whether it be from an employee, colleague or superior, there is always a lesson to be learned that can be taken with you throughout your life. Open your mind to new avenues of success and possibilities. Great leaders never stop learning and create success stories.

Often, a company’s culture molds the success of employees and can ultimately have one of the largest impacts on job satisfaction and low turnover rates. A culture fit is one of the key traits assessed when hiring an individual. Before determining if a candidate adapts well into the company’s culture, it is best to understand the values, attributes, and goals the organization values most, and then translating those ideas into a successful interview and hiring process.

When defining these traits, it is best to articulate a comprehensive message across all departments within the organization. It’s recommended to identify and characterize the culture in a way that can be recognized by everyone in the organization and will translate to hiring success throughout the business.

While defining the traits of the organization is helpful in identifying characteristics in potential recruits; real-time exposure to the culture of the company allows for the candidate to become engaged and attain insight on the overall organization.  By giving potential employees a tour of the office and allowing them to observe how different departments interact with one another, it will not only enable you to note their comfort level and adaptability to the office space but it will give them the sense of belonging, and when hired, make for a smooth transition into the company. The candidate who shares the same values and fits well with the organization will be easily noticeable, making the selection process an easy decision for the hiring manager.

By internally assessing the cultural of the organization followed by displaying the culture through the recruiting process, the success of the hired individuals will ultimately drive growth, promote positive outcomes and bring success to the organization.