The Sixth Sense
sixth sense, noun
: a power of perception like but not one of the five senses: a keen intuitive power
Many of us experience a similar scenario. We enter the meeting, prepared and ready to share our magical idea. Our eyes go around the room. Wow, am I the only *fill in the blank* person here? That voice in your head is whispering, how will they respond? Casual conversation goes around from the NFL game to the latest Netflix series. The meeting is quieted by a senior director, who presents the agenda, listing the order of contributors in the room and you’re the fourth one. Each person has 2 minutes to present, and you do the math- you’ll have plenty of time. When it’s your time, and there’s only 5 minutes left, the director says, “Great work, team. We don’t have enough time for the last two, and I’m sure you all won’t mind if I give you back five minutes of your day. Thank you, everyone!”
Just like that. Your sixth sense is telling you; they aren’t interested in your ideas. The culture of your team doesn’t feel inclusive, no matter how you try to fit.
Being acknowledged and sharing ideas in the context of a diverse team is crucial to a productive, future forward culture. Diversity is a force multiplier for growth and innovation in business outcomes.
Research shows that only 2 in10 employees agree that their leaders and coworkers are committed to the organization’s bespoke cultural values.
In some organizations, leaders have blinders when it comes to the importance of company culture, and this adversely affects performance. Culture is the unique way that your organization lives its brand promise and delivers it to customers. Research shows that strong corporate culture functions as a differentiator in the marketplace. This is how you attract highly talented employees and turn them into brand ambassadors. According to Gallup, employees and teams who most align with their company culture consistently perform higher and are easier to retain.
Positive company culture at all levels in an organization has the power to:
build a powerful culture of DEI
attract and retain talent
improve employee well-being and safety
increase employee engagement and productivity
deliver strong financial and reputational outcomes and customer experiences
Listen to your sixth sense, that voice that guides decisions. Hold on to your magic, and if they don’t see you, it’s time to find a company that celebrates the talent and uniqueness of the one and only you.
