Individual success is predicated on choice. As much as they may try, leaders cannot force growth with bribes, coercion, or wishful pleading. Yet, social science has established that behavior is largely a product of immediate environment, so thankfully leaders do wield considerable power. They can’t force success, but they can create an environment that inspires, a culture that fosters individual and collective creativity, risk taking, and unmatched effort. How? LiFT teaches four research-based, universal principles of creating a culture of success, empowering organizations with concepts and tools to LiFT themselves up the path of success. Click on a principle below to read more about it.
Raise
Expectations
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Strengthen
Relationships
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Motivate
from Within
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Reinforce
the Positive
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Culture Principle 1: Raise Expectations
Expect much to achieve much.
The research is clear, if leaders hold individuals to high expectations, they’ll likely raise their own. They can do it, and when leaders truly believe they can, challenging and treating all as they have the potential to become, a leader’s expectation of each individual will quickly become their own expectation of themselves. Additional concepts include:
- The Pygmalion Effect: Rosenthal and Jacobson
- Growth Mindset: Dr. Carol Dweck
- Performance, Academic, and Behavioral Expectations
- Vision, Goals, Standards, and Procedures
- Direct application of LiFT’s Culture Grid (See Strengthen Relationships)
Culture Principle 2: Strengthen Relationships
Invest in a bond that lifts all higher.
Relationships provide the necessary drive to LiFT individuals up to those high expectations. Without that bond, expectations become a burden under which they could easily collapse. The cords that permit a leader to guide individuals are only as strong as their relationship. So, with strategic, consistent effort, relationships will strengthen, thus empowering all to follow a leader up the path of success. Additional concepts include:
- The Relationship Cord
- The Relationship Spectrum
- Quadruple P Interactions
- The Heliotropic Effect of the Positive: Kim Cameron
- Continued application of LiFT’s Culture Grid (See Raise Expectations)
Culture Principle 3: Motivate from Within
Lasting strength is built from within.
Sadly, the societal assumption is that the best way to get someone to do something is to threaten them with a punishment or bribe them with a reward. Extensive research confirming the opposite to be true, thankfully leaders now have transformative information to ditch the negative effects of extrinsic carrots and sticks and replace them with powerful, 21st century tools that motivate from within. Additional concepts include:
- Research Review: Edward Deci, Mark Lepper, Alfie Kohn, Daniel Pink, and more
- The Why’s of Extrinsic Motivation’s Failure
- Autonomy: The Desire to Be Self-Directed
- Mastery: The Desire to Develop Better Skills
- Purpose: The Desire to Do Something That Has Lasting Meaning
Culture Principle 4: Reinforce the Positive
Shape behavior with a focus on the good.
Social science has confirmed that behavior, whether desired or not, will repeat when reinforced. This means that a leader’s coercive attempts to redirect bad behavior is achieving precisely the opposite of its intended aim. Luckily, science has also found that behavior more willingly follows the positive, meaning when leaders attend to desired behavior, that good will increase while the bad will be lost to prevention. Additional concepts include:
- The Role of Expectations in Shaping Behavior
- The Damaging Effects of Coercion
- Ignoring Inconsequential Misbehavior
- Recognizing Desired Behavior
- Effectively Addressing Consequential Misbehavior
How Culture Principles Apply To…?
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Why you should use the principles in your organization
LiFT’s Culture Principles are time-tested, research-based concepts of empowering a culture of success that can be universally applied. Yes, the transformative effects of the Culture Principles LEAD (from executives to line workers), INSPIRE (from city youth councils to elementary students), FOSTER (from parents to siblings), and TEACH (from school administrators to paraprofessionals). Driven by our mantra to “Be a Blessing,” LiFT’s message is intended to bless the lives in all organizations, instructing and inspiring the application of each vital Culture Principle.