To say that culture is complex is an understatement.
Culture is the combined beliefs, values, expectations and atmosphere of tens, hundreds or thousands of employees. Spoken and unspoken alike.
It is “The way we do things around here.”
It is a collective state of mind or consciousness, such that it can be felt by an organization’s clients or customers.
Culture informs organizational decision making – the “do’s” and “don’ts”, the “always, under any circumstances” and the “never, under any circumstances”.
The right culture can enable a team to accomplish great things together, while the wrong culture can destroy any possibilities of the brilliant work that can best be accomplished by teams.
It is an expression of an organization’s personality.
It is a complex system, involving many people and many moving parts.
In other words, its importance can’t be minimized.
By design or by default. Culture exists within every team, division and organization. It is there, whether by design or default.
And herein lies the choice leaders need to make. Will your culture be one of intentional choice designed to meet your specific needs, or one that arises simply as a result of a void and inattention, allowing negative forces to creep in?
Culture will play a powerful role in your organization, in many ways determining what you are able to accomplish. Give it the time, thought and energy it deserves. CULTURE BY DESIGN!