How do You Create Emotional Culture?

The Powerful Truth About Curating Your Workplace Culture

Picture this: a newly formed leadership team, on a quest to curate an emotional culture that sparks success. In a recent Emotional Culture Deck (ECD) session I led, this group of leaders gathered to curate the emotional culture for their team. The result? An unforgettable four-hour workshop filled with passion, reflection, and the discovery of a powerful truth.

Emotional Culture: The Unseen Driver of Success

Now, you might be wondering, what on earth is emotional culture? It relates to the deep basic assumptions, values and norms a social unit has about which emotions they should – or should not – express as they work together (Wolf, Levitt & Barsade, 2021). Surprisingly, many organisations tend to overlook the impact of emotions on their workplace culture, unaware of their potential to drive employee satisfaction, teamwork, performance, and even absenteeism (Barsade & O’Neill, 2014; O’Neill & Rothbard, 2017).

Enter the Emotional Culture Deck - a brilliantly simple card deck tool designed to spark meaningful conversations that create a more human and empathetic workplace. This deceptively simple game unlocks the secrets of what truly drives and motivates people within an organisation, closing the empathy gap and fostering a positive, supportive atmosphere.

The Quest for Emotional Fulfilment

During the session, the leaders delved into what they believe their people need to feel in order to be successful and what they don’t want them to feel (although they might from time to time). A lively discussion ensued as they passionately expressed their desire to shield their team from certain ‘undesired’ feelings, for example, feeling "Powerless." It was a non-negotiable for them, and they approached it with a sense of urgency about ensuring this was not their experience.

An Unexpected Revelation

As the session progressed, something fascinating unfolded. When asked to vote on how often they believed their team felt "Powerless," the answer was surprisingly positive - hardly at all! This was also the case for a number of other ‘undesired’ feelings they had identified.

This revelation required deeper introspection. Many of these leaders had worked their way up the ranks, enduring experiences of judgment, control, and powerlessness under previous leadership. These memories moulded their resolve to protect their own team from similar hardships.

This eye-opening conversation prompted the leaders to take a different approach. They decided to engage them in the conversation to avoid making assumptions and projecting their own experiences onto their team members. They would ask their people what they believe they need to feel and not feel in order to be successful.

The Power of the Emotional Culture Deck

It was a different conversation than what I have had before in an ECD workshop and a really exciting one. The Emotional Culture Deck acted as a catalyst for discussions about whether they were unintentionally projecting their past onto their current team. The conversation allowed the leaders to embrace fresh perspectives and ideas. Walking away revitalised and invigorated, they couldn't wait to put their newfound insights into action.

What makes each ECD workshop truly exceptional is its bespoke nature. While the process remains consistent, the unique dynamics of each team shape the outcomes, tailoring them to fit the organisation. And, equally enjoyable to watch, is the deeper connections that form among the participants.

Embrace the Power of Emotions

So, the next time you're considering how to increase a team’s capability, don't underestimate the role emotions play in curating your workplace culture.

Are you ready to embark on this thrilling journey? Step into the realm of the Emotional Culture Deck and be part of humanising the workplace. Talk to us today about how you can create a workplace culture that allows your people to flourish with the Emotional Culture Deck.