Creating a positive startup culture starts with you!

How many times do we read stories of hugely successful startups where the founder’s inspiration came from a desperate need to escape stifling corporate culture set in stone by bureaucratic business leaders? Just think of Silicon Valley and the tech startups that have revolutionized the way we do things and the way we work today. Startups are the places where things can be done differently, where there is freedom of expression, where fresh ideas are encouraged. But this only happens when the culture is led by example from the top, by the founders. In any company or organisation, employees tend to take their cues from those who create the vision, those who set the tone. So, as a simple example, if as a founder you take a really relaxed approach to work attire and jeans and T Shirts are the order of the day, then this will send a message to the rest of your team that this relaxed dress environment is acceptable and will encourage them to follow suit. In the same way, if as a founder you are collaborative in your approach to solving problems or tackling new challenges and welcome the ideas of others in the team, then chances are your employees will do the same. As founders, the way we behave sets the tone for the business and tends to shape the actions of everyone else - so creating a positive startup culture definitely starts with us.