Let me tell you a story. A few months ago I was working with a manager inside a large organization, and he was perplexed because his CEO kept talking about the importance of culture change, but the term was never defined. The manager was feeling some pressure because he felt that it was expected that he would create this "culture change" but the whole thing seemed pretty vague.
In this multi-part blog post, I'm going to describe some of the fundamentals of culture change and we'll look at both the *wrong way* and a better way to change the culture of a company.
A Definition of Culture
Edgar Schein, author and org culture guru, defined organizational culture as:
"a pattern of basic assumptions - invented, discovered, or developed by a given group as it learns to cope with it's problems of external adaptation and internal integration - that has worked well enough to be considered valid and therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems."*
Yes, culture comes down to our shared assumptions and beliefs, and our common feelings and thoughts about the work that we do. You can think of culture as being the "psychology of the organization" - and if you've decided to change your company's culture, perhaps it means that you think your organization needs some therapy. :)
The Birthplace of Corporate Culture
The birthplace of culture is in the assumptions and thought patterns of it's founders, and later on, of it's leadership team. If your company was started by a nurse who was motivated to change the quality of healthcare in small communities, you can see how the culture would differ from that of a small software company founded by a brilliant but aggressive young software engineer determined to change the world.
As a company grows, one of two things happens.
Scenario One: Company leaders recognize that they love and value the culture of their organization, and they fear that it will be diluted as the company grows. They seek to formalize the culture that grew organically, and to ensure it remains strong as more people and ideas are added to the mix.
Scenario Two: Company leaders recognize that the culture is not getting them the kind of results they want, and they seek to redefine the culture - to make a new one that is distinct from the personality of the original founders.
What Happens Next?
In either scenario, the leadership team is left with the difficult business of defining the corporate culture and making it real. In the next blog post we'll look at the common mistakes leaders make when looking at culture change.
Cheri Baker is an organizational development consultant based near Seattle, WA. As a coach, trainer, and consultant she helps organizations make sustainable improvements in employee behavior and attitudes. Learn more at her website.
* source: Organizational Culture and Leadership, Edgar Schein (1991)
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