Why No Negative Salps?

Sometimes people ask us "Why can't I send a negative Salp if I see someone behaving against the Culture Code?".

Salps are designed to show everyone what success looks like. By encouraging behaviours aligned to your Culture Code you're saying "Do more of that!". Public recognition is a powerful motivator and helps everyone understand the ways of working that are encouraged.

On the other hand, public criticism is a significant de-motivator - and can leave people disengaged and confused about what is ok. When public criticim is part of your culture it can negatively impact your culture and create a fear based culture - where people don't try new things for fear of failure, innovation is stifled and people don't step outside their comfort zone.

So how do you deal with behaviour that isn't ok? We recommend that feedback be provided quickly and, in the first instance, via a one-on-one verbal conversation ideally between the people directly involved. In a healthy culture, encouraging people to deal directly with these issues builds high trust and you are more likely to see the positive behaviour change you're looking for.

You can use your Culture Code as a framework for the conversation, by saying "That's not the way we do things around here" and pointing people to the behaviours that are aligned to your values.

Often, bad behaviours is based on misunderstandings or a lack of knowledge. Dealing quickly and directly with issues can help educate people, break down barriers and stop resentment building.

Dealing sensitively with negative feedback also increases the likelihood that the person will receive the feedback well and adjust their behaviour accordingly - based on a new understanding of the unintended consequences of their behaviour.