[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.22″ background_image=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/culture.jpg” custom_padding=”0|0px|0|0px|false|false”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”91px|0px|0|0px|false|false”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.4″ text_font=”PT Sans||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_font_size=”72″ text_line_height=”1.1em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”620px” custom_margin=”0px||0px|” text_font_size_tablet=”52″ text_font_size_phone=”” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet”]<\/p>\n
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You Need Culture<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0|0px|false|false”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ column_padding_mobile=”on” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”1200px” custom_padding=”20px||0px|” custom_padding_tablet=”0px|||” custom_padding_phone=”” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”1200px”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/david-ivers.png” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” disabled_on=”on|on|” _builder_version=”3.23″ animation=”off” sticky=”on”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|on|” _builder_version=”3.27.4″ text_font=”PT Sans|on|||” text_text_color=”#02b875″ text_font_size=”20″ text_line_height=”1.2em” header_text_color=”#000000″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” max_width=”140px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”20px||0px|”]DAVID IVERS<\/span><\/a> David Ivers is from Sydney, Australia. He is a qualified Primary and Secondary School Teacher. In total, he has served on school leadership teams for 16 years in senior leadership roles.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.4″ text_font=”PT Serif||||” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_font_size=”24″ text_line_height=”1.5em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”720px” custom_margin=”0px||0px|” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet”]<\/p>\n \u201c<\/span><\/i>I came to see, in my time at IBM, that culture isn\u2019t just one aspect of the game\u2014it is the game<\/span><\/i><\/a>.\u201d<\/span><\/i> A lot of discussion happens when the question of Culture comes up. There are a number of reasons for this. Firstly, we all claim to live within a \u2018culture\u2019 and that must mean that we, therefore, understand what culture is and how it works. This is similar to the notion that most people have visited a hospital, either to see a loved one or due to personal illness or injury and thus we all know how hospitals work, don\u2019t we? The same is true of schools. Most people have spent time at school. This must mean we are experts about school and school culture? The same is true of organizations, private or public.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Often when the term culture is used, our minds start to think of an \u2018Indiana Jones\u2019 type character or an anthropologist making their way through a rainforest or crossing a barren desert, in some remote part of the world, in order to study a tribe of people and their culture. As romantic as this might sound, the reality is that almost everyone belongs to a tribe of some kind. Whether that tribe is your family, your circle of friends, your work colleagues, professional associations, college or university alumni or simply the organization you work for, we all belong to a tribe and often more than one tribe and do so for personal and possibly professional gain. <\/span><\/p>\n In other words, the Government agency you work for, the organization that pays you, is in itself a tribe and thus is permeated with its own culture. A deeper analysis would actually reveal that the culture of your organization, is in fact layered with a variety of sub-cultures that may positively or negatively impact the broader culture of the organization. This could range from the senior leadership team or the C-Suite, the governing Board (if there is one), to the cultures within each specific area or directorate. In other words, the notion of an organizational culture should not be viewed as something static or moving at a glacial pace but rather as something that is organic. For a culture to exist, there must be people contributing to the culture of that organization. The other reality check is that there are people who are experts in the study of cultures. The most obvious would be a Social \/ Cultural Anthropologist or a Sociologist or Social Psychologist.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″ background_color=”#f7f7f4″ custom_padding=”0px||0px|”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”1″ make_equal=”on” column_padding_mobile=”on” module_class=” et_pb_row_fullwidth” _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” width=”100%” width_tablet=”100%” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” max_width=”100%” max_width_tablet=”100%” max_width_phone=”” max_width_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_padding=”0px||0px|” make_fullwidth=”on” custom_width_px=”680px”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/culture2.jpg” show_bottom_space=”off” force_fullwidth=”on” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”3.23″ animation=”off”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.25″ background_color=”#efefe9″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/culture3.jpg” show_bottom_space=”off” force_fullwidth=”on” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”3.23″ animation=”off”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text disabled_on=”off|off|” _builder_version=”3.27.4″ text_font=”PT Serif||||” text_text_color=”#818178″ text_font_size=”24″ text_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”20%|10%||10%” custom_margin_tablet=”|10%||10%” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|desktop” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone”]<\/p>\n Organizations are organic and that means that they are dynamic.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.4″ text_font=”PT Sans|on|||” text_text_color=”#888888″ text_font_size=”12″ text_letter_spacing=”2px” text_line_height=”1.2em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”20px||20%|” custom_margin_tablet=”20px|||” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|tablet”]DAVID IVERS An excellent definition of Culture can be found in the writings of Anthropologist, Dr. David Givens.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cCulture represents the entire database of knowledge, values, and traditional ways of viewing the world, which have been transmitted from one generation ahead to the next\u2014nongenetically, apart from DNA\u2014through words, concepts, and symbols.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0 Dr. David Givens \u2018<\/span>What is Anthropology?<\/span><\/a>\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n How does this help in a job application or for that matter, someone leading an organization: government, private sector, not-for-profit, and the like? Simply, if you are going to apply for a position with an organization, you must first understand something about the organization and that ultimately means gaining at the very least, a limited understanding, as an outsider looking in (an etic approach), of the organization you are seeking to work for. Conversely, once you have been appointed to the position, trying to understand the organization in order to ascertain what it is you need to do in the here and now, is important. In other words, taking an emic or an insider\u2019s view of the organization, ascertaining a more detailed view of the organization and its culture. Be cautious here of people who tell you to \u2018just do an ethnographic study on your team before you do anything!\u2019 The use of Ethnography is a key tool of Anthropologists. They observe, note-take, observe, note-take and observe again. They record their observations carefully in their field notes, for writing-up later. They will codify their data and triangulate it with other data, preferably data that is easily available. Finally, they will interview, usually using a fairly structured set of questions. Then they will write up their findings using the ethnographic style of writing. <\/span><\/p>\n In short, the Anthropologist has specialized training and studied extensively, in order to master this style of research, mindful that the research is specific only to that context. The traditional ethnography would often take a year or more to complete. What you should do though, is take time out to observe your team and their interactions and draw your own conclusions. Whilst you may want to take a year to do this, the reality is that you were hired for a reason and the organization is not likely to stand still so that you can sit and observe and take some notes. Organizations are organic and that means that they are dynamic.<\/span><\/p>\n That said, David Givens in his definition, hints at what you should be attentive to. You want to understand:<\/span><\/p>\n These questions are generic enough to be of use in almost any organization and given that a lot of useful information can be found on the organization\u2019s website or via search of the internet, you can start to gather this information from the moment you are putting a job application together, through to when you are putting your new team together. Critically, the ability to change the culture of an organization is very important for mission success. The State Services Authority in the State of Victoria (Australia), now called the Victorian Public Service Commission, in their 2013 publication \u2018Organisational Culture\u2019 noted why the culture of an organization is critical to the mission success of the organization.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cCulture matters because it impacts on most other organisational dynamics; it influences how organisations and their staff manage complexity, ambiguity and change. When organisational cultures are dysfunctional, staff become disengaged, and serious underperformance becomes a risk.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 State Services Authority (Victoria). (2013). <\/span>Organisational Culture. Melbourne: State of Victoria. P9<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n As the organizational culture is shaped by the individuals, personally and collectively within the organization, whether it be a government or non-government organization, some key principles remain common to all. In any culture, especially in organizational culture, \u2018Group-Think\u2019, the capacity for members of a group, to see, think and act as if they are all sharing from the one brain, is a very real and present danger to the health of the organization. Group-Think has the capacity to introduce toxicity to an organization, the net effect of which would be to place the culture of the organization in opposition to the mission and the values of the organization and in turn, the strategic direction of the organization. From an anthropological perspective this could give rise to \u2018anomy\u2019, a complete breakdown of the values and social norms that had characterized the organization. One of the functions of culture in general, is that of \u2018meaning-making\u2019. If the people within a toxic organizational culture cannot make meaning of the organization via its culture, they will become disengaged and organizational drift will occur, irrespective of the type of organization in play. Leadership is therefore key to the shaping of a positive organizational culture and the role that leadership must play in this regard cannot be overstated.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Consider this case study of a retail store manager. This manager is well known for turning around under-performing stores, often reaching previously unattainable KPI\u2019s within her first month or so in the job. What does she do that the previous management did not do? Simple! From day one this manager works on the culture within her store and especially within her leadership team. From day one, she would sit with her leadership team and share her vision for the store, which always includes customer service as their core business. The leadership team, especially those that have had some experience of the clientele of this store, have the opportunity to co-construct the team\u2019s vision for the store as they move forward. In short, the way this manager treats her staff is how her staff in turn treat the customers. What happens as a result? Two things occur:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 1) Customers come back, even in the retail sector that is dependent on discretionary spending.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 2) People seek to work in her store.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Whilst her staff might number 10-15 people, this is similar in size to a small primary school. The point should be very evident. Whether you are running a school with a staff of 15 teachers or a retail store of 15 staff or a government health clinic with similar staffing numbers, this process works. Not only does it work at this number, it also works with a staff of 50, 500, 5000 or more. As the numbers increase, you simply need to scale-up your process. The fundamentals however do not change, at least not dramatically. On the issue of \u2018scaling-up\u2019 processes and responsibilities, Julia Austin (2019) writing\u00a0 in \u2018Working Knowledge\u2019, a publication of Harvard Business School, makes a very important point and one which goes to the heart of the organization\u2019s culture.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAs a company approaches 100 employees, founding leaders confront an important reality: It\u2019s time to let go. It\u2019s simply impossible to be plugged into everything. At this stage, you are probably managing managers, and more than ever have to empower your leaders to, well, lead! They will not always do things the way you do them, but at this stage, if you don\u2019t have the confidence and the right people to do things without you, it will be a rough ride. In fact, when founding CEOs don\u2019t learn to step up into their roles and empower their leaders, investors and board members begin to lose confidence in the founding CEO\u2019s ability to operate at scale and consider whether to replace them\u2026.The best practice for team size is eight (recently termed the \u201ctwo-pizza team rule\u201d by Jeff Bezos). If you\u2019re reaching a point where you or anyone have more than eight direct reports, it\u2019s time to scale out a management team.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Julia Austin (2019) \u2018<\/span>How Scale Changes a Manager’s Responsibilities<\/span><\/a>\u2019 in Working Knowledge. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard Business School.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
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<\/span><\/i>Louis V. Gerstner Jr.(2005).\u00a0Who Says Elephants Can\u2019t Dance? Leading a Great Enterprise Through Dramatic Change (eBook).\u00a0New York, NY: HarperCollins eBooks. p126.<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n
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