Culture Eats Strategy For Breakfast
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” This quote is attributed to Peter Drucker, the godfather of modern management thinking. Yet so often culture is undervalued as a byproduct of strategy, something ethereal and elusive. If it cannot be expressed in numerical data and measured with a performance indicator, does it even exist? Drucker knew better, as does any successful modern-day organization who understands the value of culture and leverages it effectively as a part of their strategy. Culture is the environment, the soil in which your business is planted, the air and water you feed it to help it grow (or not). Do you want your organization to feel like a flourishing greenhouse, or a pest-infested, overgrown garden? Unfortunately, most of us have lived the experience of having a seemingly bulletproof idea and razor-sharp strategy, only to find things crumbling because of one internal fiasco after another. Understanding the impact culture has on success, and getting one’s arms around it in a tangible way, can and will make or break any organization.
Dr. John Townsend defines organizational culture as the shared ways that members perform, believe, relate, and immerse new members. Each element of his definition helps clarify what culture is and how to make it tangible. Performance: how do things get done around here (or not)? Believe: what are our core values (on the plaque on the wall and experientially)? Is this just a job, or is there a greater vision or why? Relate: do employees feel connected? Are they siloed, territorial, competing against or badmouthing one another? Or do they work together for the greater good? Immerse new members: when a new employee steps into the space, what do they experience? What are they told about how to get along?
These culture elements describe the environment, the soil, the air, the nutrients, of any organization, and can be assessed. The Management Centre based in the UK recommends assessing where the culture is and where you want to be, and mapping a plan for how you’re going to get from where you are to your goal. These steps can be measured for progress over time, which helps the cultural growth process feel more grounded and less ethereal. Layer this assessment and mapping process with Townsend’s definition elements, and you have (dare I say it) a strategic pathway to building a healthier culture. This ultimately means your organization is on its way to being a veritable greenhouse for high-performance teams, talent development, team collaboration, and synergy. Some weed pulling and pest management may be necessary. But along with this comes greater clarity, vision, and purpose. You’ll be amazed at the growth you’ll unleash!
What inspires you in this concept of organizational culture? What intrigues you? Where are you skeptical? Let me know in the comments!
