Culture Will Happen:

Make sure it happens correctly in your organization.

Written by: Sarah Stuade

Hagberg, Richard and Heifetz, Julie (2000).  "Corporate Culture/ Organizational Culture: Understanding and Assessment."  www.hcgnet.com/html/articles.understanding-Culture.html

The above article was written by members of the Hagberg Consulting Group to help managers and employees better understand the concept of corporate culture.  The article helps organizations see if they are truly "walking the talk" through their organization's culture.  Today many organizations feel that they have a good grasp on the culture within their organization.  Mangers can tell you their mission statement and core values, but is what they are saying what is really going on in their organization?

In many situations the core values and the true culture of the organization are very different.  According to the article, the mission statement that may be seen by the public as they enter an organization is only an ideal which the organization is striving to meet.  The authors feel the best way to see what is really going on in your organization is to do a cultural assessment.  A culture assessment can dispel management's illusions about what is going on in the organization.

Authors Hagberg and Heifetz feel the culture of an organization is composed of two levels, the conscious and the unconscious.  The best way to assess the culture is to have people from the outside evaluate what is really going on.  Those who are not part of the daily activities may see a clearer picture of the real culture in the organization.  Unconscious norms are those that are rooted deeply in the people of the organization.  They are part of the organization's way of life.  Often these norms hinder employees from reaching the culture the organization is striving for.  The only way to overcome these unconscious norms is to make employees aware of them.  Conscious norms, on the other hand, are ones that are openly discussed in the organization.  When looking to close cultural gaps, it is easier to change these norms because employees are aware of them.

The article stresses the importance management plays in the formation of culture.  The organization tends to act similar to the management.  The key in closing the cultural gaps is to have committed leaders and managers.  The best way to do this is to develop a picture of what the current organizational culture is and another picture of the culture the organization is striving for.  If you look at changing the gaps between these two pictures you will be able to change the culture and "walk the talk" in the organization.

The article mentions a few things to keep in mind when making this transition.  One is being aware of the subcultures that exist.  It may not be realistic to make all parts of the organization uniform in their beliefs, norms and values.  Divisions are different and perform different functions.  This should be addressed when looking to change culture.  However, it is important that core values are maintained throughout the entire organization.  This includes subcultures, geographical regions, divisions and management.

Organizations also want to make sure that the developing culture fits the current organizational structure.  The norms and values originally created for an organization may no longer fit what it is currently doing.  The authors state the importance of building an organization on the following five principles:

1. Timeless core values.

2. The adaptability of their behavior practices.

3. Secondary values in the organization.

4. Structure the cultural artifacts.

5. The ability to manage continuity and change.

"Organizations develop culture whether they try to or not," states the authors.  It is management's job to take a leadership position to know the culture, and make sure the organization is performing according to the core values and beliefs.