Culture in Action
In an earlier post, I shared the idea that culture is strategy. Now I’d like to show what that looks like in practice. Building a positive culture takes intention, ownership, and high ethical standards. And as a leader, you own it.
Let me take you back to my second command.
My official title was Program Manager for Air Traffic Control and Combat Identification Systems. In business terms, think of it as a CEO-equivalent role on the Navy’s side of the house. My “board of trustees” included senior flag officers and civilian leaders across the Department of the Navy and Department of Defense. I was responsible for a portfolio of high-impact programs for the Navy and Marine Corps. The organization I inherited was struggling, our relationships with external stakeholders were broken, morale was low, and trust was fragile.
Although this was my second command, the stakes were much higher. I was now leading 600 people, managing a $400 million annual budget, and launching a $1.2 billion new-technology air traffic control program. As the first woman aviator selected for this position in the Department of the Navy, I knew all eyes were on me.
It felt like an honor, a mountain, and a jigsaw puzzle rolled into one. Our command oversaw every Navy and Marine Corps air traffic control and combat identification system worldwide on land and at sea, 24/7. It was like running a large company, but with lives at stake.
The pressure was intense, but 25 years into my career, I was ready. The command had long been overshadowed by “sexier” programs like the F/A-18 and F-35. In fact, one of the reasons I was selected was to raise its visibility. I saw the challenge as an opportunity, a diamond in the rough.
My strategy was to unite a fragmented organization by making everyone feel part of the team. From day one, I called each person a team member and addressed the organization as a team. I knew I couldn’t fix things alone; only the team could. My role was to provide the vision. They would do the heavy lifting.
I introduced the values-based leadership framework I had developed over my career. I even published my personal values statement and invited my team to hold me accountable to it. Day after day, I demonstrated that my values of teamwork, truth, honesty, and respect could also become the organization’s values and transform our culture.
The shift was tangible. People began to think and act like a team. One small but powerful example: I gave my administrative assistant and our receptionist the title “Directors of First Impressions.” Their role was to set the tone for every visitor or caller. Empowering them with purpose and authority changed the energy in our command.
Together, we turned around struggling programs and set them on a course to success. Before long, our organization was recognized for excellence.
The lesson? While every team member helps shape culture, the leader is the director of culture. Do you know what you value? Have you written it down and shared it with your team?
Leaders must live their values openly. That’s where culture change begins.
Fly high,
Barbara
Need help? Connect with me at CaptainBarbaraBell.com and of course check out my book, Flight Lessons: Navigating Through Life’s Turbulence and Learning to Fly High. #coaching, #culture, #strategy,#ethicalleadership, #leadership, #veterans
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
