How to Set the Tone in an Organization

Why do we stay at one company but leave another? Sometimes it’s because of pay. Other job changes are due to better opportunities and upward mobility.

But sometimes, we change because we just don’t like our job—and that’s usually because of the culture of the organization. If you work in a toxic environment, it’s hard to like your job.

Where does that toxicity originate? In my experience, it’s often the result of the tone that management sets forth for the organization. As a leader, you might not realize the tone you set has such a far-reaching impact, but it absolutely does. Your team is looking to you not just to set the direction for the company or your division, but to model the way you conduct yourself.

How do you set the tone? It comes down to what you allow and don’t allow from yourself or from your team. For me, it’s all about what I call the “four uncoachable traits,” which are integrity, accountability, positivity, and collaboration. Anyone not possessing these traits probably won’t be on the team long. I want candidates to know that if they make it onto the team, everyone else I hired onto this team embodies those qualities I seek, and they can trust these people.

To show you how this works, here’s an example of how I set the tone regarding integrity.

“Wait, You’re Firing Me?”

I had a team lead who managed up quite well, always telling me what I wanted to hear, but he wasn’t managing his team. He let all of the success go to his head and was condescending to his peers or people that were slightly junior to him in position. He kissed up and kicked down.

There were rumors of happy hours in the office in which he’d have employees do shots. He also used a derogatory term to describe the sexual orientation of a recent hire he had brought in. On top of all of this, his performance in the role had been less than stellar. 

When I finally learned of the toxic culture he had created, I sat him down in a conference room—along with the head of HR and one of the company lawyers.

I shared with him my understanding of what he’d said and done, and the environment he’d created. I made it clear that I had zero tolerance for his behavior, that I found those qualities to be uncoachable. I reiterated my feelings on integrity and that violations like these meant you were no longer with the company.

He shook or nodded his head at the moments he must have thought were appropriate. It was clear he thought I was only giving him feedback.

“You’re done today,” I told him.

“Wait,” he said. “You’re firing me?”

The lawyer and head of HR then asked me to leave so they could walk him through the details of his severance package.

If people are lacking in integrity, they should not be on your team. Period.

Strike a Balance

I brought the hammer down when I saw a team member whose behavior repeatedly demonstrated a lack of integrity. My action reinforced the tone I set from the beginning: if you lack one of these four traits, you won’t last long at this company.

In setting the tone, however, it’s important not to establish a culture of fear. I’ve worked in that environment, too, and it’s equally toxic. The antidote to a culture of fear is clarity.

You need to let people know that stakes are high, that there are consequences, and that those consequences are severe if lapses become common. There are, of course, consequences for poor performance, but that’s why it’s also crucial to reward high performance. 

I tend to be overly generous when it comes to awards. I want my team to know that when they do their jobs well while embodying the traits I hire for, they don’t just keep their jobs—there are benefits to be reaped. That’s another essential part of setting the tone: you don’t want team members just waiting for the axe to swing if they mess up. By leaning into the tone you’ve set, it should bring out their best work and push the division or the company to new heights. 

Communication is Key

If you get the right team in place, you want to keep them in place for as long as you can. That’s why it’s important that you communicate what you expect from each employee and set a tone that emphasizes integrity, positive attitudes, accountability, and teamwork.

If you do that, you’ll gain respect. Employees will want to stay and work their hardest to help you and the company because they know exactly what to expect—from you and from each other.