Creating a Collaborative Culture – Part 1
In my consulting work, I’ve seen firsthand how people are becoming increasingly intolerant of companies without a collaborative culture.
The problem is, an organisation’s culture is often invisible but deeply impactful. Plus, if the leaders driving a strategy aren’t passionate about the change they seek, no plan will succeed.
So, let’s take a closer look at corporate culture and explore how we as leaders can shape it to create stronger, more connected teams.
Recognising corporate culture through personal experience
I first noticed corporate culture when I moved to my second employer. I didn't know that work environments could be so different! I had been with my first employer — a multinational manufacturing company — for 10 years, and until I moved to a new company, I had no understanding of "Company Culture" at all. All I knew was what I had experienced.
We were a "no-frills" company, and part of the culture was to make sure you held on to the best office furniture you could accumulate as people moved on. If someone got a promotion, moved to a different department, or handed in their notice, then the rest of the team would be on the lookout for a furniture upgrade — perhaps a more comfortable chair or a newer filing cabinet.
When I moved to the next company, I found such a different culture. Everyone had the same modern, curved desk with matching under-desk drawers on rollers and roll-front filing cabinets. Every piece of office furniture was more modern than at the previous firm, and all the drawers and filing cabinets worked! There were no upgrades wanted or needed. However, the location of your desk in the office was something that could be upgraded.
Between my first and second jobs, I experienced what Prof David Caldwell famously said:
"Culture is all that invisible stuff that glues organizations together."
A new perspective on culture
When I moved to my next employer, I discovered a totally new culture. At both of the previous — multinational — firms, any interpersonal correspondence was sent to a role: the head of this, the manager of that, or the clerk in charge of something else. Sometimes, we would include the name of the recipient if we knew who it was. At the new firm, nothing was sent to a role; everything was sent to a person. I'd send a memo to Steve because he ran the Drawing Office or to Andy because he managed procurement.
Later, I worked with an international organization with colleagues in over 40 countries, and we only ever met online, except for rare in-person meetings. Now, we had a company culture to understand, as well as the national culture each team member brought with them.
“The thing is, it can be difficult to identify the cultural environment we are in.”
The thing is, rather like fish don’t see water, it can be very difficult to see and identify the cultural environment we are in. Yet we can all feel it — especially if someone new joins the team and doesn’t "get" the culture.
It's as if we work, rest, and play in "cultural echo chambers." In each environment — whether at work, home, or in a club or group — we tend to agree with a particular set of values, standards, and views as expected and accepted by the others in the group. Or, we learn which subset of views are accepted by other members and focus on that. This is the very stuff that keeps a group or team functioning consistently.
—-
👉 While corporate culture can be hard to identify, it often shows up under pressure when it’s too late to change. In Part 2, we look at some ‘pressure-tested’ companies and apply lessons for creating stronger, more connected teams.
—-
Next steps
Reflect on the company cultures you have experienced – what do you notice about them?
To improve collaboration in your team, consider using Patrick Lencioni’s Working Genius framework. It’s among the best models I’ve used for helping team members understand and appreciate each other.
If you’d like executive coaching or management consultation to help you explore your values and culture further, I’d love to help.
—-
Attributions
Photo: fauxels
Copy & Content Support: Will Salmon
