Influencing Organisational Culture
Naturally, having a strong culture is great competitive advantage; indeed the strength of corporate culture can significantly affect corporate policies such as employment, managerial and financial structures. Organisational culture directly influences the likelihood of success for a company’s change strategies. As evidence suggests, team members are more inclined to embrace change when the organisation’s culture is aligned with the mission and goals of that company. (Ref: Edgar Schein, The Corporate Culture Survival Guide, California: Jossey-Bass, 1999)
If an organisation’s people have been exposed to years of excessive spending, risk-aversion, HR rationalising, bureaucracy, or even overly centralised control, then there could well be major obstacles to shifting that culture, especially throughout introduction of any new strategy and initiatives. Altering the behaviour, perceptions, and performance of teams of people to successfully achieve change is very difficult. Take for example, downsizing, the more prominent implications of downsizing are actually in relation to the impact on culture (and not as one would envisage, upon cost savings or short-term productivity gain).
Sound strategy resonates with the culture of an organisation; it’s a natural fit if you like. That being said, cultural shifts are sometimes required to support a new strategy or framework in an effort to become a true value-based organisation. This is especially the case if that strategy necessitates increased cost containment, customer focus, speed, and a focus upon leadership & development.
Culture is heavily influenced by an organisation’s executives and managerial staff, through decision making and their strategic input and direction. It’s imperative that more managers commit to a greater understanding of the critical importance of culture; especially the assessment of culture. Only after people in an organisation recognise that the current culture needs to transform to support their organisation’s success and progress, can change actually occur.
By assessing culture more thoroughly, managers gain a far broader awareness as to the full extent to which their team are willing to accept change, and determine the root causes of problems which impede stronger organisational performance. Ultimately, the choice will come down to whether Managers allow the culture to grow/change inceptually, i.e. self-develop where individuals operate in self-defined silos / vacuums; or more wisely, those same Managers invest the necessary time and resources to proactively define the internal brand, culture and behaviours anticipated which best serve all team members, the organisation and the customers.