If you have never seen the cult classic movie, When a Stranger Calls from 1979, it’s a thriller about a babysitter who keeps getting crazy, creepy phone calls only to have the police discover that the call is coming from inside the house. Terror ensues, as the bad guy has been there the whole time! People who have worked with me know that I often use this phrase – the call is coming from inside the house – when I need to show what is happening is occurring internally because of “us” (the organization).
Company culture is the same thing. It’s created by organizations, whether organically or with intent. I define it as a living, breathing, ever-evolving part of an organization. It is how employees learn to behave because of the norms, customs and, quite honestly, how the organization’s leadership rewards and recognizes its people.
Building a good, engaging organizational culture is much easier than fixing a poor one. Once a culture is established, it can take years to transform it to something more positive. That transformation needs to be planned with intent, and success needs to be measured.
How can you change culture? It is not something you can write a check for. It’s not something you can decide on Monday to change by Friday.
It requires a lot of soul searching, and asking yourself the tough questions: How did we get here? What are we doing that is reinforcing bad behavior? What would our ideal culture look and feel like? How do we get from where we are today to that “utopia” of the future? What needs to change with organizational design and our processes?
One of the most rewarding parts of our work is playing a role in truly transforming a culture. It is amazing how many employees want and support positive change. People inherently want to feel good about where they work, and the work they do. I am a firm believer that a positive culture pays dividends in returns. It’s well worth the effort. What are you waiting for?
I welcome feedback – tell me what you value the most in a culture.
Comments