What do you do if your brand strategy is not fostering a positive and inclusive team culture?

Internal teams are the best brand ambassador any company can have, if brand strategy is not fostering it, then we may look on following steps: - Open discussion sessions to include voice & feedback of internal teams, to make them feel connected. - Employees are the brand champions & most underrated in marketing campaigns. - 360 degree feedback & impartial surveys do best in such cases, top management should open dialogue channel with internal teams & HR may partner in same. - Employee events including their families should be organized to make them feel more connected. - At last, employees are driven by bosses, so all the team leaders should be given task to bring out brand champions from their teams.

Get the buy-in from company leadership. Emphasise the importance of culture change driven from the top down. Ensure company executives understand the business benefits of an inclusive culture, and are committed to modelling the right behaviours.

If your brand strategy isn't fostering a positive and inclusive team culture, it's crucial to reassess your values and communication methods. Start by actively involving your team in the process, listen to their feedback, and adjust your strategy accordingly. Consider training sessions on diversity, equity, and inclusion to ensure everyone feels valued and supported. Regular check-ins and transparent communication can also help align your brand strategy with a more inclusive team culture.

The first step to addressing a brand strategy that isn't fostering a positive and inclusive team culture is a comprehensive assessment of the current team environment. This means engaging your team in open discussions, including options to provide feedback anonymously through surveys. Beyond that, one-on-one interviews and group discussions give insight into the source of the disconnect. The key is identifying how your brand strategy could exclude or negatively impact team members. An inclusive culture begins by listening to and valuing the diverse voices on the team, acknowledging their experiences, and making strategic adjustments that promote inclusivity and positivity at all levels of your organization.

Brand and culture are representative of the customers you’re trying to attract. So, starting from the inside and getting that right drives the external brand strategy. Your people are the heart of your brand. And leading them starts with leadership aligning on strategic mission and values.

Feeling the exclusion in your brand strategy? Don't wait! Hold a "Brand Re-Think Workshop" with your team. Challenge them to identify areas where it feels exclusive, then brainstorm solutions together. Rewrite the strategy with inclusivity as a core principle, ensuring your target audience's values and experiences are reflected. But it doesn't stop there! Track progress through diverse teams and inclusive marketing materials. Schedule regular reviews and hold everyone accountable for fostering an inclusive culture. Reward champions of inclusivity, and consider partnering with a diversity expert for lasting impact.

Brand Strategy reassessment is a crucial piece in this entire jigsaw puzzle. Let’s break it down in the following steps: 1. LISTENING to the VOICE of your team through interactive workshops, one-on—discussions, open space technology, opinion polls, and many other divergent and convergent workshop methodologies. 2. IDENTIFYING the best killer strategies which could build a new framework for Brand Strategy 2.0 implementation. 3. FILTERING the ones which are pragmatic, doable and laser sharp in implementation. 4. IMPLEMENTATION is the most important yet difficult piece so ensure that you are creating teams of diverse groups to lead this. Following all the above steps will surely create an inclusive and more engaging Brand Strategy 2.0

Team Culture is Vital, assess to know who you are dealing with! 1. Engage with Team: Conduct surveys, one-on-one interviews, and group discussions to understand team perceptions and experiences. 2. Listen to Feedback: Pay close attention to feedback from team members to identify areas where the brand strategy may be excluding or demoralizing certain individuals. 3. Acknowledge Diversity: Recognize the importance of diverse voices within the team and ensure they are heard and valued in the assessment process.

If you find disconnect between your brand strategy and your company culture, you must first ask why? Go back to basics. How are you defining positive and inclusive? What does that mean for your company? What would constitute a positive environment? More over, remember that an internal brand strategy that defines the employee value proposition must be derived from your external, customer value proposition. Are your employees aligned with the company mission and values, and the customer experience? So start by asking a lot of questions: Was it aligned before? What's changed? What are people across the board saying? How do they feel? Once you begin answering these questions, you begin to uncover the gaps.

Hello, Il faut rectifier le tir ! Commence par comprendre les aspects de la stratégie de marque qui posent problème à ton équipe. Les enquêtes en ligne sont un bon début pour conserver l'anonymat et donc avoir des réponses honnêtes. Ensuite, il faut remettre à plat les valeurs de l'entreprise. Tu peux profiter d'une journée de convivialité pour rassembler tout le monde et créer un workshop ludique qui amène les équipes à se confier sur leur vision de l'entreprise et son avenir. Les valeurs doivent être partagées, justifiées et écrites dans le marbre. Enfin, il faut communiquer avec transparence ses valeurs en interne, comme à l'externe, les faire vivre, les inclure dans le quotidien, de l'onboarding aux ventes.

Once you've communicated with your team and assessed your brand strategy, the next step is to revisit the core values of your brand that serve as a compass for your team's behavior and decision-making processes. All of your brand's values should reflect the diversity and inclusivity of the team. Paying "lip service" to your inclusive values isn't enough—you need to translate these into tangible practices and behaviors. Implement actions and routines that everyone in the organization can benefit from, which promotes a work environment where all team members feel valued and respected. This alignment of belief and action cultivates a truly inclusive and positive workplace culture.

I often saw misalignment between the external and internal brand, often because these were not developed concurrently. To solve this, you’ll need to look at the values of each brand and try to find the common ground. Some adjustments will need to be made, for sure. But it’s the only way to ensure consistency across all the brand areas.

Examining the brand's core values is the first step I would take as your hiring decisions, messaging, culture and policy decisions should reflect the nature and tone of these foundational values. Consider them the first layer of bricks in a wall. Small inconsistencies or irregularities will result in bigger issues later on. If your core values fail to foster an inclusive work environment, culture, messaging and branding, no amount of work elsewhere will fix this issue.

Understood your Team? Check if team values are set correctly! 1. Align with Inclusivity: Review and potentially revise your brand values to ensure they are inclusive and reflect the diversity of your team. 2. Translate Values into Actions: Translate these values into actionable practices and behaviors that promote inclusivity throughout the organization. 3. Lead by Example: Encourage leaders to exemplify these values in their actions and decision-making processes, fostering a culture of inclusivity from the top down.

It's a great idea to be sure that your values weren't created by the leadership team with no real understanding of the day-to-day culture of the staff. Many times values are aspirational and are written to reflect the ambitions and feel-good hopes of leadership without actually considering what matters most to the organization. Your values should be a filtration system for how you make decisions. If you aren't always comparing your choices against your values, you're missing the point. Part of having a great values set is making sure it's an accurate reflection of how you operate. The last thing you want is for them to just be a poster on the breakroom wall that everyone rolls their eyes at.

Revisit your values to ensure they aren't just words on a wall but principles that drive every decision and action within your organization. Start by asking why these values exist in the first place. Are they aligned with your team's aspirations and beliefs? Get everyone involved, from top leadership to frontline staff. Encourage open dialogue and reflection.

First, really listen to what your team has to say—this can give the key insights into where things might be going wrong. Are there particular values or practices that feel out of alignment? From there, align the approach. It’s very important to actively foster an environment where everyone feels valued and included. This means promoting diversity, encouraging open communication, and leading by example.

Your culture makes a loud statement about what you ACTUALLY value, regardless of what your core values might say. Remember Enron - they had core values of Communication, Respect, Integrity, and Excellence - and then their senior leaders went to jail for having none of the above. Great company cultures are built on clear, sticky, and actionable values. When values are blurry or abstract they become nice ideas but fail to shape day to day behavior. In my book, Culture Built My Brand, we talk about building a Marquee Culture by creating irresistible branded experiences for employees and customers. This is how brands like Southwest, Netflix, and Apple have sustained growth and scale; and, it starts with clarifying and articulating values.

An additional approach to fostering a positive culture is to establish a transparent feedback culture. Create opportunities for your team to give and receive feedback to ensure that all voices are heard. This openness can help avoid misunderstandings and create a welcoming, inclusive environment.

Inclusivity is part of a brand strategy that fosters belonging and positivity among the team. It's not just about using inclusive verbiage in marketing materials—even team memos and other internal content should reflect the brand voice and, perhaps more importantly, the brand's diversity. By embedding inclusive messaging throughout your communications, every team member feels seen and valued. This approach not only enhances team morale but also reinforces a positive workplace culture where diversity is not just acknowledged but celebrated. Such practices ensure a work culture of respect and collaboration, which are key to a thriving organizational culture.

The topline, inclusive messaging should be large enough to be understood globally from cross-functional, cross-cultural team members or customers. And small enough to embrace and recognise diverse group differences.

Communication is a Key, Make it Clear! 1. Bias-Free Communication: Ensure that all internal communications, including language and imagery, are free from bias and represent diversity. 2. Representation Matters: Make sure that diverse perspectives are represented in all internal messaging to create a sense of belonging for every team member. 3. Promote Inclusivity: Use messaging as a tool to promote inclusivity and make every team member feel valued and respected.

When the leadership team reflects the diversity of the organization, there is a strong incentive for all employees to feel included. Diversity in leadership helps to include different perspectives in decision-making. This not only increases the sense of belonging, but also creates a more authentic and inclusive brand identity.

Crafting inclusive brand messaging is essential for building a strong brand that resonates with diverse audiences. One key principle to consider before all else is understanding your audience is imperative. You have to gain a deep understanding of your target audience's demographics, values, preferences, and cultural nuances. This will help you tailor your messaging to be relevant and inclusive. In South Africa, diversity, equality and inclusion are daily topics because in order to move forward; not just in government organisations but in the private domain too- we have to acknowledge redress our disparities. Representation and empowerment aren’t just a buzz words- they’re intentional action words.

Inclusive messaging is so important for bringing our team closer together. We want everyone to feel like they belong and are valued here. Let's make sure our communications are free from any bias and that we celebrate our diversity in everything we do. When we all feel recognized and appreciated, it makes our workplace a happier and more inclusive place to be. Let's keep spreading the positivity and unity through our words and actions!

Leadership Influence on Team Culture: Driving Inclusivity & Empowerment 1. Leadership Impact on Team Dynamics 2. Bias Recognition & Inclusive Environment 3. Leading by Example for Inclusivity In my view, leadership plays a fundamental role in shaping team culture towards inclusivity. By training leaders to recognize biases, empowering them to create an inclusive environment & encouraging them to lead by example, brands can foster a culture that thrives on diverse contributions & upholds the values of inclusivity & empowerment. Strong leadership that champions inclusivity sets the stage for a dynamic & inclusive team culture that resonates with the core values of the brand, nurturing a collaborative & empowered work environment.

Who are the leaders of the team, they influence the most! 1. Champion Inclusivity: Evaluate whether leaders are effectively championing inclusivity within the organization. 2. Bias Recognition Training: Provide leaders with training to recognize and address their own biases, fostering an environment where all team members feel empowered. 3. Lead by Example: Encourage leaders to lead by example by demonstrating inclusive behaviors that align with the organization's values.

Leaders set the tone and direction for the entire team. Delegate responsibilities that empower team members to contribute meaningfully regardless of their background or position. Leadership that champions diversity and inclusion not only strengthens team dynamics but also drives innovation and success.

Walking the talk is the most critical! If the leaders are not imbibing the values and only doing lip service, employees see-through it. Leaders MUST be emotionally invested, physically demonstrating them in their conversations, communications, commitments. Only then will the brand strategy percolate.

While leadership plays a critical role in championing brand values and company culture and ensuring employees are engaged, whenever a disconnect becomes apparent, we need to assess. Simply start at the beginning and ask why. Evaluate whether the company vision is aligning with the customer experience which combined inform the employee value proposition... why anyone would want to work at said company and how to nurture that culture.

Being a leader is kind of like being the captain of a ship – you steer the organization in the right direction, make tough decisions, and keep things running smoothly. Leaders come up with plans, give guidance, and aren't afraid to switch things up when needed.

When serving in a leadership role, it's imperative to provide a clear vision and strategic direction. By fostering a culture of trust, collaboration, & empowerment, leaders enable team members to unleash their full potential & creativity. Upholding brand integrity & reputation, they ensure alignment with organizational values & strategic objectives, fostering consistency & authenticity in messaging & communications. Leaders have to drive performance & accountability, cultivating strong partnerships & driving sustainable growth & success for the organization & its brand. And in all this, they need to team to be empowered high performers who are purpose-driven and aligned with the objectives of the brand.

Policy Alignment with Diversity: Cultivating an Inclusive Work Environment Approach: 1. Policy Reevaluation for Inclusivity 2. Adapting for Inclusivity 3. Continuous Policy Evolution In my view, revisiting & updating policies through an inclusivity lens is crucial for nurturing a diverse & inclusive work environment. By eliminating barriers, introducing inclusive practices & fostering a culture of ongoing policy evolution, organizations can create a supportive & equitable workplace that empowers every team member. Aligning policies with diversity & inclusion objectives enhances team culture, promotes equity & ensures that organizational practices reflect a commitment to inclusivity & respect for all individuals.

Shaken up the Organization! 1. Review Policies: Review existing policies to identify any that may be creating barriers to inclusivity within the team. 2. Update Practices: Update or eliminate outdated policies and practices to better support a diverse workforce. 3. Implement Changes: Implement changes such as flexible working arrangements or revised recruitment practices to promote inclusivity within the organization.

Nurturing an Evolving Team Culture: Embracing Continuous Growth Approach: 1. Sustaining Positive Team Dynamics 2. Iterative Adaptation for Progress 3. Dynamic Response to Change In my experience, sustaining a positive & inclusive team culture necessitates a commitment to continuous growth & adaptation. By evaluating the impact of your brand strategy on team dynamics, gathering feedback & remaining attuned to societal trends, you foster a dynamic & responsive team culture. Embracing iterative changes & proactive responses to evolving expectations ensures that your team culture remains vibrant, inclusive & poised for sustained success amidst changing landscapes.

It is important to take the time to review feedback and consider the concerns of your customers. Sometimes, it can be helpful for the suite team to try the 'undercover Boss' model to gain a better understanding of the experiences of both customers and employees with the brand. Leaders who fail to listen to feedback from customers, employees and stakeholders may miss out on valuable insights that could be used to inform and improve brand strategy.

Up to me, Fostering an inclusive team culture is an ongoing and dynamic process. It involves continuous monitoring and analysis to pinpoint areas where innovation or necessary adjustments can be made. Nurturing an inclusive environment is a perpetual journey that requires us to constantly evolve and re-evaluate strategies.

Everything is perfect? Never is, analyze constantly! 1. Regular Feedback: Continuously gather feedback from team members to evaluate the impact of the brand strategy on team culture. 2. Monitor Dynamics: Monitor team dynamics and stay attuned to societal shifts that may influence team expectations. 3. Evolve Strategy: Be prepared to make iterative changes to the brand strategy as needed to ensure it remains aligned with the evolving needs and expectations of the team.

Culture is dynamic, and constantly evolving based on internal and external factors. Regularly assess your team's interactions, feedback mechanisms, and overall atmosphere. Create safe spaces for open dialogue and constructive criticism. Utilize surveys, one-on-one discussions, and anonymous feedback channels to gather insights. This evaluation shouldn't be confined to boardrooms but integrated into everyday interactions, team meetings, and performance reviews.

I'm a passionate believer in the idea of Kaizen (aka - "The Toyota Way): Everyone in the organization, executive to frontline team member, works together to make incremental improvements. The critical idea here is EVERYONE - it's culture, not a select exercise for a few senior leaders. I also deeply resonate with the 2md core pillar of "The Toyota Way" - Respect for People, which stresses respect, trust, partnership, blameless retrospectives, and teams and individuals evolving their practices. When combined, they create a virtuous flywheel, giving air-cover for innovation, engaging teams in change, supporting teams as they execute, and proactively celebrating wins and lessons. If you want to perforate silos - this is how you do it.

A commitment to innovation will be mitigated without a parallel commitment to diversity. Diversity brings different backgrounds and life experiences together which adds fresh perspective while also encouraging new ways of thinking. You'll only be so innovative in a room of people who share the same life experience, worldview, and desired outcome. Will intentional diversity create tension - yes! And tension is good! In fact - dynamic tension is where breakthrough occurs. However; tension requires effective leaders with empathy and self- awareness in order for diversity to actually add value. Too often we blame diversity for issues that were really the fault of leadership.

The five strategies for creating an inclusive workplace are: a) Build a robust and inclusive organizational culture from top to down. b) Focus on incorporating inclusive language. c) Enhance formal sponsorship and mentorship programs. d) Create effective affinity groups. e) Integrate ethical AI to your HR system.

“Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance” (Verna Myers) Marketers, HR and leadership hold a huge responsibility to find new ways of connecting in more meaningful ways than treating diversity as geographic statistics and quick, superficial fixes to "diverse" brand images. Accountability and goal-setting to set an authentic, diverse and inclusive brand strategy starts with: - An agreement for change - Engage in meaningful conversations - Measuring what you preach - this means measuring diversity progress, measure feelings of inclusiveness and being transparent with the progress - Commitment to an on-going process as diversity is not a mini-side project

Change the HR Head. If that doesn't work. Change the CEO. 125 characters again. I've met some during my extremely long career. Can't add them all here. It'll become a circus!