Art Sponseller, JD, PCC, Senior Executive Coach, www.artsponseller.com
What is a catchphrase? One of my favorites is “Assume Positive Intent.” A catchphrase serves as a heuristic link between a priority and a keystone behavior. Here, the priority is trust-building, and the keystone behavior is bringing a positive attitude and expectation to interpersonal situations. Three words that communicate this vision clearly, simply, and memorably.
Assuming you’ve established a strong vision, mission, and values, and you know which tasks are critical for success, the quickest and most effective tool to shape a high-performing culture is through catchphrases. Daniel Coyle encapsulates this idea in his book “The Culture Code.” I’ve seen this in action during my journey as a CEO, where catchphrases helped transform the organization I led.
Yes, your team might groan at first when you introduce a catchphrase. But with persistence, they’ll become believers. Why? Because catchphrases communicate expectations with remarkable clarity, they educate, and they make the culture infectious to newcomers. They also foster accountability for everyone, including you, the leader. You’ll know you’ve succeeded when your employees start suggesting their own catchphrases.
