A company’s leadership and culture can be a driving force for positive change, benefiting not only the individuals within but also the organisation as a whole. The shift from personal development to cultivating growth in others represents a move from prioritising “me” to prioritising “we,” ultimately leading to the organisation’s pogress through the growth of its people.

As a Director of People and Culture at Catalyst Care Group, I have dedicated my life path to putting people first and promoting a progressive and positive culture in our work environment. Putting people first and building trust can inspire transformative journeys and enable meaningful change.

Leading with Vision

I was incredibly fortunate to have opened the Catalyst Summit and witnessed fantastic three days lined up for us all, resulting in collective and individual leadership journeys. Our leaders have gathered and shown us the roadmap to impactful self-leadership, leading others and leading together. Witnessing their level of intentional commitment and visionary thinking to become the exceptional leaders they are was truly inspiring. One crucial takeaway for me was that when people come together with a shared vision, their willingness to listen, learn, and contribute to their colleagues is extraordinary.

We have learned that leading towards our vision is dependent on how we effectively lead ourselves and others. Leaders sharing insights and knowledge and wanting to learn from each other and grow together represent effective leadership.

Our leaders have emerged in the best practices they implement and how they develop a strategic vision to achieve them with a mission to humanise health and social care while creating a meaningful impact in their sectors.

The commitment and the capacity to take ownership of and responsibility for one’s self: thoughts, feelings, actions, reactions and interactions lead to intentional and effective leadership of others. It reflects on building healthy teams where employees feel mentally and emotionally safe to be themselves in the workplace, thriving in their roles.

This leads us to the next phase – leading together!

Culture-Building Through Leading Together 

Culture-building through leading together is essential to creating a strong and cohesive organisational culture. When leaders work collaboratively with their teams and involve them in decision-making, it fosters a sense of ownership and belonging. This approach also allows for sharing knowledge and expertise, which can lead to more effective problem-solving and decision-making. By involving team members in decision-making, leaders can better understand their needs and preferences, and this can help create a more inclusive workplace that responds to all employees’ needs.

The commitment to my role derives from seeing a real change across the brands through leading, mentoring, coaching and advising at all levels. Therefore, my main focus is to effectively:

• Lead and Manage People Experience Within the Organisation
• Promote and Drive a Positive Culture
• Optimise People’s Contribution and Impact

Sharing best practices is crucial to culture-building; we all felt that at the Summit. When organisations establish shared practices, it creates a sense of consistency and predictability, which can help to build trust among colleagues.

One Team, One Plan, One Goal

Thinking as one is another essential component of joint leadership.

The Summit was a remarkable reminder that when people feel part of a Family are more likely to work as a team, support one another, share knowledge and resources and impact other people’s lives. This approach leads to greater innovation and creativity in our organisation, as the people we work with are more likely to contribute their ideas and perspectives. When leaders encourage employees to think as one, it can help to break down silos and create a more inclusive and integrated organisation. This approach can also create a culture of accountability, where employees feel responsible for their work and the organisation’s success as a whole. By fostering a sense of teamwork and collaboration, organisations can create a workplace culture that is more resilient, adaptive, and responsive to change.

When leaders consistently model and reinforce shared practices and core values, it sends a clear message about what the organisation stands for and what is expected in the sense of purpose and direction. This approach can create a workplace culture aligned with the organisation’s mission and values, leading to increased engagement, productivity, and overall job satisfaction.

I still relive those exceptional moments of togetherness and true impact throughout the days we spent with our fellow leader colleagues in Skopje. It was beyond inspiring to witness a room full of people thinking, acting, and interacting in a way that reflected the underlying values of our organisation.