Is your organization focusing on the right objectives and outcomes when it comes to developing your workplace culture?

Many companies may outwardly share that they care about its culture, values, and mission, yet the internal story for managers and employees doesn’t match this narrative. Typically, this disconnect is rooted in a lack of presence, accountability, and awareness of the energetic impact of each and every person in the company.

In our latest panel discussion, you'll hear more about how a healthy workplace culture is an actual asset for companies that is not simply a ‘nice-to-have’ — it creates bottom-line impact and profitability.

Special thanks to our panelists in this session:

• Anese Cavanaugh — CEO of Active Choices, Inc., founder of the IEP Method® and the Positive Energy Workplace Initiative™, and author of Contagious Culture and Contagious You
• Mariana Polic & Ivan Polic — Co-Founders of Systemic Approach Institute and Jumpstart Your Exit

Tune in to hear real-world examples to show how helping your employees and leaders focus on their intentions, energy, and presence can create a contagious and positive ripple effect for your company culture that is indispensable.

Key Highlights & Quotable Moments:

(3:50) IEP Method® and Leadership Development
How the IEP Method® supports leadership development and creating a balanced and positive impact for your organizational culture.

"IEP stands for Intentional Energetic Presence, and it is all about how we bring ourselves to the table. It's about being intentional about our energy and presence, and bringing awareness to how we're showing up, not only for each other, but really for ourselves."
— Anese Cavanaugh

"We are always creating impact, and we are always creating an experience — whether it's in our company, with our leadership, through our culture, or even in a meeting or simply with our families. We've found that the more intentional we are about our energetic presence and the experience we create, the more likely we are to achieve our intended outcomes."
— Anese Cavanaugh

(10:00) Importance of Intentionality 
The importance of intentionality and strategic presence in both personal and professional contexts, and particularly in leadership roles. 

"When you have a lot of pressure leading a business, pressure from outside conditions and things you cannot control, and all those things that that we deal with when when we run companies, it's important to create that pause before each interaction to consider: How are you going to show up? What kind of presence and energy will I share?  What would be the strategic, most intentional way that I can show up in this room with these people for this purpose?" — Ivan Polic

(13:48) Challenges in Company Vision
Struggles that leaders and business owners may face when attempting to achieve their company's vision with a lack of presence and/or intentionality for each person's energy.  

(19:59) Culture Before and After Acquisition
Examples of pain points leaders may experience with company culture before and after an acquisition, plus challenges faced when trying to implement new initiatives in a change-resistant culture.

"[Before IEP] We had a lot of enthusiasm, and we were thinking we could do something, and we pushed it, and we tried to change it, and we encountered incredible resistance in the culture. We were the change makers, but without enough skills. So we would then push as much as we could until we got so depleted, and the gap and learning curve was a lot. "  — Ivan Polic

(23:57) Neglecting Self-Care's Ripple Effects
The holistic impact and ripple effects that can occur after neglecting of self care.

"When you don't feel like going to your own company, it's a problem. When you feel like there's so much going on and the return is diminished, it's a problem. You know something needs to change based on how much energy you are putting into your company and not reaching your vision." — Mariana Polic

(29:00) Sustainable Company Culture
How the IEP Method® supported a sustainable company culture that easily maintained integrity and existed beyond 4x growth and an acquisition transition.

(33:00) Innovative vs. Draining Cultures
The attributes of an innovative and high-performance culture versus a draining and less productive culture.

"[In the evolved culture] People were more open minded towards any changes and any initiatives that were happening. This is different than the attributes before — the closed mindedness — but not necessarily because the people had that attribute themselves. It was the company and culture.

Another attribute is inclusion, because before the new ideas were excluded. Certain personalities were excluded, and in the manufacturing industry that's very much the case. So afterwards, you couldn't really say, 'this is the manufacturing business'; It was open for inclusion, and it was open for innovation. " — Mariana Polic

(36:00) Impact on Success and Financial Goals
The bottom-line impact of presence and personal energy accountability, and connecting the dots between culture and increased probability of success and achieving financial goals.

"When you are looking to hit your targets on a monthly basis, trying to hit them alone is really hard. And I tried. I know how hard it is. But when you try and you're doing that with the team that is energized, that's wide eyed, that's looking to learn, that is enthused, that is trying to hit your targets for their reasons — your probability of achieving all of your financial outcomes goes through the roof. If you have people leading right next to you that in that way everything that you're there for is enabled. And so it's there's a reason that this this conversation is called the currency culture. This is definitely hard core dollars in your bank account." — Ivan Polic

"When I think about the cost saved just through people collaborating more effectively, the more innovation there will be and better products and services will get created because people are focusing on the right things. They're not focusing on protecting themselves or stuck in drama. They're actually focusing on doing great things for the company when they're feeling better. So  lost time decreases, and they're actually healthier for the organization." — Anese Cavanaugh

(40:00) Risks of Lacking Cultural Clarity
The risks to be aware of when organizations lack clarity on their culture and fail to invest adequately in future leaders, which could lead to a depletion of leadership pipelines.

"The [IEP Method® and] cultural piece really impacts retention. For example, with a seasonal business we work with, they work very hard in the winter — but they would lose half of their people every year. So when spring came around, they had to replace half of their staff. In 2023 they had 100% retention. So if you think that IEP isn't going make your life easier and your vision enabled, you are missing something huge." — Ivan Polic

(45:00) The IEP Method® and High-Performing Leaders
The importance of the IEP Method® for high-performing leaders, especially when dependence starts to develop around a particular leader/manager.

(52:20) Overcoming Challenges for Growth
How overcoming challenges and learning from impossible situations can be beneficial for an individual's career growth and development.

(56:00) How to Share the Value of the IEP Method® 
Best practices for sharing the IEP Method® and the value of presence and leadership development initiatives  with investors and boards of directors. 

Ready to Up-Level Your Leadership?

At Active Choices, Inc. we offer a variety of pathways to support you and your company, from training pathways, experiential keynotes, and memberships in the Positive Energy Workplace Initiative™ community platform. Learn more at ActiveChoices.com. 

If you’d like to stay connected and continue the journey together, here are some great ways to get started:

• Join us for our virtual open house on May 30th if you’d like to learn more about how you and your company can learn and use the IEP Method® to support your company culture. Save your seat here.
  
  
• Download our new eBook and companion videos sharing the top 3 company culture blind spots and insights.
  
  
• Reach out if you’d like to schedule a connection call to discuss your unique opportunities and explore options together.

Become a Certified Positive Energy Workplace 

Join us on this transformative journey to create workplaces where everyone thrives, performs at their best, and drives lasting impact!

Contact us today to learn more about ACI’s available program tracks, and how you can begin the journey to earn your IEP Method credentials and build a Certified Positive Energy Workplace.