Organizational Culture is like gravity!

Organizational culture is largely comprised of the values, beliefs, ways of working together, and multiple symbolic and historical elements. However, organizational culture must not be carved in stone. It might be peoples’ values, assumptions, behaviours and attitudes, but it needs to be more than that. It is also experiential. It is a human function. It is the conversation, involving all players, that assesses and, if necessary, examines and challenges elements of culture in the interest of safety, adaptivity, and productivity.

Wonderings;

How many degrees of separation do people have from their workplace culture? If the values, beliefs, etc. of a culture are not evident, observable, or representative then there is a disconnect between what people do and how they feel and what the organization says it stands for in terms of working together.

What impact can individuals have on their own culture?

There is danger in assuming that culture is static. When people see contradictions and disconnections between the declared culture and the ways in which people treat each other then there is a problem.

If the culture is not safe, there is a problem.

If the culture is not representative, there is a problem.

If it is the DNA of an organization then is it fixed? Can Culture be adaptive?

The culture underlies, informs and explains “the way people feel about working here, the way we work here, the ways we are together here.” We know that people don’t stay or leave where they work because of the work. They stay or leave because of the people they do that work with. (Cahoon)

Norms are part of culture. Working agreements are the ways we agree we will work together. Norms are the ways we will treat each other. The values, norms, beliefs and assumptions we share (and must re-examine from time to time-talking about culture is not taboo, cannot be taboo!) are what generate the way we are day to day, how we do our work, how we manage change, how we succeed, how we take care of each other, and how we respond in difficult times.

Large organizations have a culture that is often just more static, difficult to change, more negative than positive because of disconnections and contradictions with regards to daily behaviours and interactions. Smaller organizations have the ability to talk more easily about their culture.

Culture must align with psychological safety, with adaptivity and with productivity, success and efficiency.

If you embed the norms, ways of working, intentions, communication skills and sensitivities that you have valued, discussed and practiced then culture is going to evolve in a positive way.

When leadership and management identify an innovation or change that they believe to be good for the organizational culture, then, to be successful, everyone in that organization has to be engaged and involved in making that happen. It has to show up in culture. If it doesn’t and leadership is just giving it lip service, then there will be a disconnect between members of the organization creating negativity in the culture. Leadership advocacy and engagement are essential for success. Taking care of your culture is a team sport! It is fluid yet reliable and tangible.

It grounds people like gravity!