A measurable definition of culture
April 21, 2009
Until now, the best definition I had heard for Culture is “the way we do things around here.” While that provides a good idea of what culture means, it leaves it difficult to measure.
On Sunday, Andy Stanley at North Point Community Church defined Culture as the collective conscience of a group: The ought to’s and the ought not’s. In other words, the culture is the collection of behaviors that the members of a group generally believe you should and shouldn’t do.
The new definition provides a way to measure a culture as the aggregation of acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. When you can measure something, then you are able to deliberately change it.
Consider whether the following behaviors are acceptable or unacceptable (or ought to or ought not) within your organization:
- Sharing ideas or feedback outside the “chain of command”
- Holding peers accountable to deadlines or performance
- Celebrating team successes
- Bringing your kids to work when no one can watch them
- Playing practical jokes
- Working on a team outside your area of expertise
- Texting or typing during meetings
- Letting a female coworker have the last seat at the table
- Hosting competitions between employees
- Deference to titles
- Lending a helping hand when a coworker suffers a hardship
- Showing up late to meetings
- Working independently on a project
Of course, these are just the tip of the iceberg. Each organization has its own quirks and implied necessary behaviors.
Inquiry: What ought members of your organization do or not do?
For a useful assessment, check out the Organizational Culture Inventory (OCI). I haven’t used it in practice, but I remember using it for an exercise during my MBA program years ago.
Assessment: Change Readiness
October 21, 2008
A recent article, Eight Fundamentals of a Successful Change Initiative, listed the following key factors that are the foundation for organizational change:
- Know Your Organization
- Define The Future
- Obtain Leadership Commitment
- Involve Employees
- Plan Communication
- Ensure Accountability
- Provide Resources
- Use A Change Methodology
The Enclaria Change Readiness Assessment measures how well you are performing each of these activities. The assessment includes a 2-page questionnaire, a tally sheet, and a chart so you can see your biggest opportunities for improvement. Download the Change Readiness Assessment.
Assessment: Personal and Professional Satisfaction
September 15, 2008
The Coaches Training Institute has created these “Assessment Wheels,” which measure your level of satisfaction with different aspects of your life. So often, we focus on one or two aspects of our lives while ignoring others. The Assessment Wheels give you the opportunity to evaluate whether other parts of your life need attention.
In coaching, the wheels are often used as a starting point for the conversation. They are not meant to be a comprehensive evaluation of your life, but are designed to give you food for thought for how you might use a coach to improve your life, personally or professionally.
These assessments are posted with permission from The Coaches Training Institute.
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