Unwrapping the Secret Santa Sleigh: The Surprising Science Behind Gift-Giving During the Holiday Season

Oho! Ho ho! It's me, Jingles, your favorite mischievous elf here to share some merry-making magic about gift-giving during the holiday season! As we get into the holiday spirit, I just can't help but think of all the wonderful things that make this time of year so special. And what's more special than receiving a thoughtful gift from someone who cares? But have you ever stopped to think about why we love giving and receiving gifts in the first place? Let's take a look at some fascinating science behind gift-giving during the holiday season!

Start by Listening Widely

Did you know that a strong organizational culture can reduce the need for managers? It's true! When a culture is strong, workers have sufficiently internalized goals and values to act autonomously and effectively without constant direction. (Isn't that just like how I keep all my toy-making skills in mind while I'm busy making all those wonderful toys?) In other words, when you listen widely to your colleagues and employees, you can create a culture of understanding and inclusivity that makes everyone feel valued and heard. PwC, for example, sought input from thousands of its staff and partners to better understand who they are, what their values are, and how they show up in the workplace.

Recruit Activators Among Your Colleagues

Yolanda Seals-Coffield, PwC's chief people and inclusion officer, talks about how recruiting "activators" among your colleagues can be a game-changer. These are over 1,000 employees who volunteer to lead discussions with their colleagues and share feedback on what's working and what's not. Seals-Coffield explains that being an activator gives employees access to the firm's leaders and helps create a breeding ground for future leaders. It's like how I love to share my toy-making tips with all my fellow elves, helping each other become more creative and skilled!

Communicate Key Messages Repeatedly

Glenn Carroll, a professor of management and organizational behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business, emphasizes the importance of communicating key messages repeatedly. Carroll notes that sometimes it's not about developing core values, but rather pushing them down to each level of the organization. You have to make sure everyone is on the same page, which can be a challenge! But with a little bit of playfulness and creativity (like making silly songs about Christmas), you can make even the most mundane messages more engaging and memorable.

Assess the State of Culture and Assess Individual Performance

PMI uses twice-yearly pulse surveys to analyze progress on its cultural transformation. They ask employees about engagement, wellbeing, inclusion, and manager effectiveness. It's like how I keep track of all my toy-making progress by counting how many toys I've made so far! But seriously, assessing the state of culture and individual performance is crucial for creating a positive work environment that makes everyone feel valued and supported.

Articulate Clearly What's Out of Bounds Culturally

PMI has communicated nine undesirable workplace behaviors that undermine its culture. They include being disrespectful, abrasive, or harsh, unduly taking credit for the work of others, and not creating space for introverts to speak their mind. These are like the naughty list of behavior at the North Pole! We elves always make sure to keep a watchful eye out for any behavior that might put someone's holiday cheer in jeopardy! By articulating what's out of bounds culturally, you can create a safe and inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome and valued.

Embed Inclusion in Your Values

Seals-Coffield talks about how embedding inclusion in your values is crucial for creating a culture of care and belonging. When we think about diversity, equity, and inclusion, it's like thinking about all the wonderful toys that can be made from different materials and cultures. She emphasizes that this is not just about DEI work but also about bringing diverse people together to address important problems that our clients are asking for help with. It's like how I love working on a team of elves from different parts of the world, each with their unique skills and talents!

Approach Artificial Intelligence as a Culture Project

Seals-Coffield also talks about how PMI is approaching artificial intelligence as a culture project. They're using generative AI upskilling opportunities to help employees learn new skills. It's like how I love learning new toy-making techniques and sharing them with my fellow elves! By embracing AI as a part of their culture, PMI can leverage technology to do their work better and faster while still keeping human intuition and judgment at the forefront.

Expect a Culture Change Project to Take Time

Patitucci says that PMI's cultural transformation is "a journey that will take us three to four years before we go to what I call normalization of the values and behaviors so that they become a normal part of the way you operate in the company, business as usual." That's like how it takes time for all those wonderful toys to come together on Christmas morning! But with patience, creativity, and inclusivity, we can create a holiday season that makes everyone feel merry and bright! So there you have it – some fascinating science behind gift-giving during the holiday season! Remember, when it comes to creating a culture of joy and inclusion, it's all about listening widely, recruiting activators, communicating key messages, assessing individual performance, articulating cultural boundaries, embedding inclusion in your values, approaching AI as a culture project, and expecting it to take time. Ho ho ho! I hope you found this post merry-makingly informative!

Sources:
- [How “Activators” Enable Culture Change - TIME] (https://time.com/charter/7199479/how-activators-enable-culture-change/)
- [Cultivating Change: A Guide to Successful Cultural Transformation] (https://www.agenciachange.com/post/cultivating-change-a-guide-to-successful-cultural-transformation)
- [Leading in a culture of change : Fullan, Michael : Free ...] (https://archive.org/details/leadinginculture0000full)
- [20 Cultural Change Examples & Definition - BitGlint] (https://www.bitglint.com/cultural-change-examples-definition/)
- [Why Every Executive Should Be Focusing on Culture Change Now] (https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/why-every-executive-should-be-focusing-on-culture-change-now/)
- [14 Ways To Build A Company Culture That Embraces Change] (https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescoachescouncil/2019/02/19/14-ways-to-build-a-company-culture-that-embraces-change/)