Aga Bajer & Associates

Do you have a growth mindset? Great! But it won’t matter if you are part of a group or organization that: 👎 Believes in innate talent.   👎 Pits people against each other (forced distribution, anyone?). 👎 Rewards short-term results over long-term growth. 👎 Prioritizes competition over collaboration. 👎 Lacks support for continuous learning. 👎 Punishes failure instead of learning from it. 👎 Ignores employee feedback. 👎 Values conformity over innovation. Individual mindset can only take you so far. As Mary Murphy says in her brilliant new book, Growth Cultures, "mindset exists on a continuum. And where we fall on that continuum at any given moment often has to do with the situation we’re in and the people around us." True growth happens in cultures that value learning, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Choose or build a culture where your growth mindset can truly thrive. If you are interested in exploring this topic, I highly recommend reading Cultures of Growth by Mary Murphy, an outstanding scientist and a protege of the legendary Carol Dweck. Plus, you might want to join the CultureBrained® Community, where we'll explore cultivating growth mindset cultures in the next two months. Link below. #growthmindset #culture #growth

“I’m exhausted of constantly having to prove myself,” my friend confided over coffee last weekend. “I want a place where I can just be myself, where people recognize and value my experience and skills. I'm tired of managing perceptions. I want to focus on what really matters.” Her words echo a common frustration, one that underlines a larger issue. They are a symptom of a deeper problem—a widespread failure to meet a fundamental human need: TO BELONG. We can't be surprised when people fail to bring their best selves to a game they don’t feel part of, can we? So, what does it take to turn this around? 𝐓𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠, 𝐰𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐝𝐝 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬. If you want to reflect on how good your org is at creating belonging, here are a few simple questions to ask about each of these elements: 𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐔𝐄𝐃 ❓Can employees truly be themselves at work without fear of judgment? ❓ Do they feel seen, known, understood, and accepted by their colleagues? ❓ Is there genuine appreciation for their knowledge, skills, and contributions? 𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐔𝐄 ❓Are employees empowered to make meaningful contributions to projects that matter? ❓ Do they have strong reasons to believe they’d be missed if they were gone? ❓ Are individual efforts recognized in ways that motivate and inspire further growth and contribution? 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐔𝐄𝐒 ❓ Do employees feel a deep connection with the core values and mission of the organization? ❓ Are they able to express and pursue their personal values within the framework of the organization? ❓ Is there a sense of pride among the staff about being part of the organization? Asking these questions can reveal a lot about the cultural health of your workplace. These are questions my team and I often ask in our exploration of organizational dynamics, seeking to uncover deeper truths about how companies cultivate a supportive and inclusive environment. #belonging #culture #companyculture

Hello LinkedIn Community, I’m excited to share that David Halpern, President of The Behavioural Insights Team, is joining us today for a Fireside Chat in the CultureBrained® Community! David has pioneered impactful interventions that have significantly advanced organizational cultures, and it’s no surprise that our event is fully booked. However, we want everyone to have the chance to benefit from this opportunity. If you're exploring behavioral science or nudging to foster positive change in your workplace, here’s how you can get involved: Submit your question for David by scanning the code provided below. It will take you to Slido. You can share your name with your question, but it's not mandatory. We'll select the most insightful ones and pose them to David on your behalf. Stay tuned for a video of David’s responses, which we’ll share right here! Let’s make the most of this opportunity to deepen our understanding of behavioral science and its role in creating vibrant company cultures. #culture #behaviouralscience #change

When we think about transforming company culture, our minds often leap to grand schemes and bold initiatives. Yet, sometimes the most significant changes come from the tiniest of tweaks. In my latest newsletter, I explore how subtle nudges create profound shifts in employee behavior, enhancing efficiency and fostering a more positive work environment. ⚠️ If you are a People and Culture Leader who'd like to learn more about the science of nudging and its practical applications in the workplace, DM me! We still have a few seats left for David Halpern's session in the CultureBrained® Community next Tuesday!

Are you feeling anxious? Is your team? If the answer is "yes," then keep reading because there’s something I noticed about myself that might be helpful to you or the people you care about. When things get unbearably hard and my anxiety goes through the ceiling… I start drawing. At the end of last year, as I was going through a particularly rough patch, I started sketching funny or cute creatures every day while having my morning coffee. Then, I would send them to my assistant with a “good morning” message — replacing a GIF we would usually exchange to start the day. I need to make something clear here, though: What I drew or how good the final product was didn’t matter. What mattered was the process. There’s just something deeply healing and soothing in shutting down our logical brain and activating the right hemisphere instead. And I got curious: Do others have similar experiences? Is creativity THE antidote to anxiety? Turns out, it is! And there is plenty of science to prove it. Getting into flow not only feels blissful subjectively speaking, but there are measurable neurological changes and biochemical responses to creativity that effectively decrease our anxiety levels. For example, when we draw, sing, or dance: 🧠 We get flooded by dopamine and other feel-good hormones. 🧠 The activity in the amygdala (the part of the brain involved in processing emotions like fear and anxiety) gets reduced. This reduction leads to feelings of calm and relaxation. 🧠 Additionally, creative activities increase neural connectivity in the brain, particularly in the prefrontal cortex, which helps regulate emotions. 🤯 🤯 🤯, right? Why am I sharing this on LinkedIn? Because it seems that injecting creativity into your work (or the work of your team) might be the best (employee) wellness program out there. Seriously. Try it. You'll thank me later. ;) #anxiety #culture #wellbeing

"As anyone who is four months into 2024 and no closer to achieving their new year’s resolutions will know: information and knowledge alone are not enough to drive sustained behaviour change." Truer words have never been spoken. So what works? The latest blog from The Behavioural Insights Team that includes Microsoft culture change case study, sheds some light on th issue. Spoiler alert - behavioural science and nudging play a major role in it! I'm super excited about hosting David Halpern, the founder of the "Nudge Unit," aka The Behavioural Insights Team, for a Fireside Chat in CultureBrained® Community. It's happening soon - April 30th to be exact! #Nudging #BehavioralScience #CultureChange

What stands in the way when it comes to being a truly purpose-driven business? That’s the question I asked Carolyn Butler-Madden during our recent conversation The CultureLab Podcast and here's a part of her answer. If you want to dive deeper into this topic, check out the entire interview - link below. #culture #purpose #purposedriven

I get this question a lot: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬? For example: Your core value might be simplicity, but you find that people and managers tend to overcomplicate things. Or perhaps you value ownership (at least on paper), but there's a total lack of initiative or accountability within your team. The first thing I want to say is this: This disconnect is always going to be there and is nothing to be ashamed of. You must be thinking: "Whaaaaat???" I know, but hear me out: Your values are an expression of your beliefs and your commitments, correct? They describe what you stand for and who you are at your best as a collective, right? Let's talk about what happens in real life then: Just like individuals often fail to keep their commitments and act on their values every single day, in every instance, so do groups of people. Sure, it’s not ideal but it's a fact of life. So instead of self-flagellation or shame, I suggest a gentler approach to values alignment, one where we finally acknowledge and accept our own fallibility and recognize the need to CONSTANTLY course-correct. As part of this process, I’d suggest that you: 1️⃣ 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐲: Make sure everyone understands not just the what, but the why behind the values and how they help you succeed. 2️⃣ 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞: Actions speak louder than words. Demonstrate your values in your day-to-day decision-making and interactions. People follow the lead of the people they trust. 3️⃣ 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬: Align processes and policies with your values. If simplicity is a core value, streamline your procedures to eliminate unnecessary steps. 4️⃣ 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐚 "𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞": Ask for, listen to and act on feedback. Encourage your team to speak up when something doesn’t align with your values. 5️⃣ 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝: Acknowledge and celebrate when individuals or teams exemplify your values. Positive reinforcement always drives positive behaviors. (And on the flip-side - address the instances of misalignment) #Leadership #CompanyCulture #ValuesInAction

I’m sure there are things happening in the world right now that make you feel sad, angry, or helpless. Especially when you realize that whatever you do to help is a mere drop in an ocean of needs. Personally, I find it particularly frustrating when considering the institutions designated to tackle humanity's most pressing problems. Despite their vast resources, progress often seems minimal. But what if the institution best equipped to drive significant positive change is one we seldom view in that light? My guest today, Carolyn Butler-Madden believes that it’s the business that is THE institution with the largest capacity to create positive change in the world. She envisions a future where business is not just about financial gain, but a powerful force for good. Her life's work has been to empower leaders to unlock the full potential of their organizations by embedding a meaningful purpose into the fabric of their business and brand strategies. With her book, "For Love and Money" earning the title of best Social Responsibility book in the Australian Business Book Awards of the Year, Carolyn’s literary contributions have already paved the way for many businesses seeking a purpose-driven future. In this conversation, Carolyn shares her journey and how she found her own purpose as well as fresh insights into how purpose-driven leadership can unlock potential and drive growth. Tune in and let me know what you think. Link the comments below. #culture #purpose #leadership

At the CultureBrained® Community, we like doing things differently. It might seem odd, but despite being a global, online community, we dislike webinars with a passion! Instead, we thrive on personal connections, active participation, and a meaningful dialogue. This is why we run small, intimate, interactive Fireside Chats where our community members can pick the brains of some of the world’s most admired leaders and experts -- while we dive deep into various topics linked to shaping a thriving culture. It's a conversation - and we co-create it together. Today was a very special day as we got a chance to learn from someone I admired for the culture transformation he and his team accomplished in Australia's General Motors - Jamie Getgood! Jamie Getgood's journey is nothing short of remarkable. In the face of General Motors Holden's departure from Australian manufacturing, Jamie spearheaded the daunting task of closing the operations. He had to navigate through the complexities of culture, people management, change leadership, and fostering employee engagement in a time, to say the least, of significant upheaval. Contrary to expectations of becoming possibly one of the most hated bosses in the industry, Jamie’s strategies garnered acclaim from all quarters. Under his guidance, GM Holden astonishingly leaped from a bottom-tier performance to being recognized as one of the best General Motors quality plants globally all while it was in the twilight months of its operation. 🤯 🤯 🤯 When Jamie shared some of the other KPIs that were improved as a result of focusing on people, leadership, and culture, we were truly astonished - as all these changes took place in a period of 18 months! Jamie's story is proof that a business turn-around is possible when we are intentional about the biggest enabler of its performance - culture. If you want to learn from leaders and peers like Jamie, you probably need the CultureBrained® community in your life! Check it out - link below.