Learn what organizational culture is, why it matters and how you can influence it as a leader to create a positive and productive work environment.
Here is a true story of a software engineer named Raj (pseudo name to keep privacy!) who worked at a startup company. This company was known to offer innovative tech solutions for various business problems. Having high hopes of working with a new-age company, dealing with cutting-edge technologies and learning from experienced mentors, Raj was very excited when he received the offer letter!
But soon he realized that the reality was far from his expectations.
Within 2 months of his interactions with his coworkers and senior leadership team, he started to feel suffocated at his workplace.
Some of the issues he faced were:
CEO was a micromanager who constantly interfered with the technical decisions of the engineers. He would often change the requirements and scope of the projects without consulting the team or the clients. He also had unrealistic deadlines and expectations, which used to then put a lot of pressure on the engineers to deliver results on time.
CTO was a pseudo-narcissist who took credit for the work of others and equally blamed them for any failures. Having no technical expertise or vision, he relied on outdated and inefficient tools and methods leading to bureaucratic ways of working within the team. He also ignored the feedback and suggestions of the engineers, lacked accountability and also dismissed new ideas calling it as impractical or unnecessary.
HR manager showed all signs of a bully who harassed and intimidated the employees by his communication style. He would subtly threaten to fire them for minor mistakes and be critical of any disagreements. He also favored some employees over others and often expressed implicit discrimination against them based on their gender, ethnicity or religion during catch ups.
The team leader was a ‘Yes Man’ or a so-called sycophant who always agreed with the higher-ups and never stood up for his team. He had no leadership skills and blindly followed the orders of the CEO and CTO to protect his interests. He also had poor communication skills, lacked coordination skills and thrived on team conflicts and escalations. He also exploited and manipulated the engineers and took advantage of their hard work and loyalty for his recognition.
In a short span of time, Raj felt frustrated and demotivated with his office’s cultural dynamics. Nevertheless, tried to cope with the situation by working hard and delivering quality work, in the hope that he will be recognized for his efforts one day. But failed. When he shared his anxiety with his peers, he was inspired by them to voice out his opinions but not surprisingly, he was ignored or silenced by the top management. He also tried to find support and networked among his colleagues, only to realize that most of them either gave up mentally or signed the physical papers to exit the company for their own good.
After 8 months, Raj decided to quit realizing that he had wasted his time and talent at a company that did not value or respect him. He also started to lose his passion and enthusiasm for software engineering, sought to find a new direction in his career and hoped to find a better work culture at his next job where he could grow personally and professionally.
So, what do we observe in this story?
Clearly, the company had a poor organization culture and leadership which eventually made Raj’s work life miserable.
But why does organization culture even matter? And what does leadership have to do with it?
If you have also come across such a story in your network or have similar questions in your mind, then this post is for you!
Let’s explore the details of these questions but before digging any further, let us first try to understand what do we mean by Organizational Culture and what are the key ingredients to it?
Organizational culture is the collection of values, beliefs, assumptions and norms that guide activity and mindset in an organization. It impacts every facet of a business including how employees communicate, collaborate, innovate and perform.
Having a strong organizational culture can lead to many benefits such as increased motivation, engagement, retention and creativity leading into profitability.
But how do you create a strong organizational culture? And more importantly, how do you change it if it’s not aligned with your vision and goals?
If you are a leader of a team, an organization, a community association or an institution, you have a significant role and responsibility in shaping and transforming the culture of your workplace.
Here are a few tried and tested steps you can take to influence organizational culture and foster strong leadership: -
Step 1: Ensure alignment on mission, purpose and vision.
The first and primary step is to communicate clearly and consistently what your organization stands for, why it exists and where it is heading.
Make sure every employee understands how their work contributes to the bigger picture and how they can make a positive impact. This will help create a sense of direction, meaning and belonging for your team members.
Step 2: Select and develop leaders who align with the target culture.
The next step is to identify and empower leaders who share your vision and values and who can act as role models and champions for the desired culture.
Provide them with the necessary training, coaching and feedback to help them develop their skills and competencies.
Encourage them to inspire, motivate and support their teams in embracing the cultural change.
Step 3: Use organisational conversations about culture to outline the importance of change.
The third step is to engage your employees in dialogue about the current and desired culture. Explain why the change is needed, what the benefits are, and what the challenges are.
Listen to their feedback, concerns, and suggestions. Address any resistance or confusion with empathy and transparency.
Involve them in co-creating solutions and action plans to implement the change.
Step 4: Reinforce the desired change through organizational design.
The final step is to align your organisational structure, processes, systems, policies and rewards with the target culture.
Make sure your team members or employees support and reinforce the behaviors and outcomes you want to see.
Recognize and celebrate successes and achievements that reflect the new culture.
Monitor and measure the progress and impact of the change. And adjust and improve as needed.
Whilst there are consecutive steps to invoke change to a strong leadership, changing organisational culture is not easy or quick. It requires commitment, patience and perseverance from both leaders and employees. But it’s worth every penny and effort in the long run for mental well-being!
Try one of these steps in a consistent way for a period of time with your peers, coworkers or team members and you will find a momentum to create a strong organisational culture that fosters strong leadership and drives your organization’s success in due course!
Drop in your comments and thoughts on why organization culture matters to you and feel free to suggest any other tips you would like to add more to this list.
And don’t forget to share this post with your network if you found it helpful! Never know you might save a day for another Raj in your network :)
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