Organizational Culture - Get Over It!
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Transcript of Organizational Culture - Get Over It!
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.