Organizational CultureOrganizational Culture

Get Over ItGet Over It

John Bordeaux, Ph.D.SRA International, Inc

Meishi

Of Bagels and Patterns MindTel, LLC

Organizational KOrganizational KOrganizational KOrganizational K

CreationCreationCreationCreationCultureCultureCultureCultureInfrastructureInfrastructureInfrastructureInfrastructure

Building a Building a shared shared mental modelmental model

First, Define the TermsFirst, Define the Terms

A pattern of shared basic assumptions A pattern of shared basic assumptions that the group learned as it solved that the group learned as it solved its problems of external adaptation its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, that has and internal integration, that has worked well enough to be worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the be taught to new members as the correct way you perceive, think, and correct way you perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems.feel in relation to those problems. -- -- E. ScheinE. Schein

Three Levels of Culture• Artifacts

– What’s on the bulletin boards

– How offices are set up– How meetings are

conducted– How people greet each

other

• “Official” values– Corporate vision

statement– Written policies– Code of ethics

Artifacts

Official Values

Tacit Assumptions

Three Levels of Culture

• Tacit assumptions– Seldom

discussed assumptions behind the actions

That’s the way we do things around here.

Artifacts

Official Values

Tacit Assumptions

Culture and Culture and ExchangeExchange

Individualistic US culture is ideally suited to information exchange and discovery…Information transaction costs dropped precipitously through

20th century

…and completely unfriendly to costs of knowledge exchange, which have not changed noticeably

Find peopleNegotiate with them

Codify, exchange, translate

How Deep is Culture?

Law of Propinquity

Would you jump into Would you jump into traffic to save this child traffic to save this child from imminent danger?from imminent danger?

Why?

Networks based on Identity

Law of propinquity does not fully explain social networks

• Effect– Contractors “going

native” through contract changes, start to believe they’re feds

– Portal/web site branding essential to early success – “looks like it’s ours!”

Culture isDeepPervasiveComplexStrongly and lastingly affected by the values of values of

the founderthe founder Incredibly stableCan be a barrier to transformation

Get Over It.

A Government AgencyA Government Agency• TaskTask

– Automate portions of briefing Automate portions of briefing process, make process more efficient process, make process more efficient

• FoundFound– Change to briefing process ran up Change to briefing process ran up

against “what works.” Briefers against “what works.” Briefers support senior level decision-support senior level decision-makers, who outrank consultants…makers, who outrank consultants…

– Fortunately, the briefers rotate out Fortunately, the briefers rotate out from this assignment after 1-2 yearsfrom this assignment after 1-2 years

• ApproachApproach– Introduce to new briefers onlyIntroduce to new briefers only– Change nature of formal training, Change nature of formal training,

slowly changing course of informal slowly changing course of informal training received from existing stafftraining received from existing staff

Another Government Another Government AgencyAgency

• TaskTask– On contract, in part, to develop “enterprise portal” for new On contract, in part, to develop “enterprise portal” for new

agencyagency

• FoundFound– New organization made up of existing operationsNew organization made up of existing operations– What enterprise? Characterized by:What enterprise? Characterized by:

• SuspicionSuspicion• FearFear• ConfusionConfusion• PressurePressure• WarWar

– Leader established “flat” org chart, problematic as these Leader established “flat” org chart, problematic as these are all military organizationsare all military organizations

• ApproachApproach– Lowered expectations for portal, worked instead to unify Lowered expectations for portal, worked instead to unify

transport layer, work basic infrastructure before touting transport layer, work basic infrastructure before touting “enterprise initiative”“enterprise initiative”

– Positioned KM analyst in Chief of Staff’s office to begin Positioned KM analyst in Chief of Staff’s office to begin developing portal governance, policies, UI, etc. Project developing portal governance, policies, UI, etc. Project gained Imprimatur!gained Imprimatur!

Solve Problems

Who is working across organizational boundaries despite the lack of process and technological connections?AdministrationPublic affairsLegalFacilities

These are your Heroes of the Revolution

A Non-ProfitA Non-Profit

• TaskTask– Wanted a “portal” to “handle Wanted a “portal” to “handle

the requests” expected from the requests” expected from Exec announcementExec announcement

– Poised to expect long line of Poised to expect long line of people looking for info once people looking for info once certain press announcement certain press announcement was madewas made

• FoundFound– Several dozen individuals, Several dozen individuals,

each with specialty, no team each with specialty, no team identityidentity

– Little observable cross-Little observable cross-functional cooperationfunctional cooperation

Non-Profit ApproachNon-Profit Approach

• Approach– Held meeting with principals, asked

what they would do if everyone lined up at the front door - Who would handle what type of requests?•Result: Full-day Saturday session where

they diagrammed cross-functional processes, red-teamed the response workflow…

•…and decided they already had enough technology, added a single email alias to home page (no portal needed)

Changing the Mountain

Change the way that people work.Influence the next generation of leaders.Develop groups of change agents.Promote new leaders.Tell the same message over and over again.

The Small, Repeatable The Small, Repeatable MiracleMiracle

Solve a simple problem for everyoneCreates evangelistsEstablishes trust and credibilityIncludes users

“Hey, do this next!”

Change their tacit assumptions about how work gets done – replaces myths of dubious origin with solutions to actual problems

*James Brian Quinn, *James Brian Quinn, Intelligent EnterpriseIntelligent Enterprise, 1992, 1992

Be as solid as the mountain you wish to change.Be the change you want to see. Gandhi.

DeepPervasiveComplexStable

Organizational CultureOrganizational CultureOh, Get Over It AlreadyOh, Get Over It Already

John Bordeaux, Ph.D.