Avoiding Subculture Collisions on the Organization Superhighway

A key theme from my evening with Edgar Schein has continued to provoke my pondering: managing the interactions of subcultures across organizations.

Beyond the overarching culture of an organization, groups of individuals are further influenced by the presence of subcultures. These might be ethnic cultures in a global organization or perhaps cultures of differing business units, e.g. sales and engineering. The main challenge for organizations today is not merely designing and sustaining a company-wide culture but effectively managing the interaction of disparate subcultures.  When cultures collide, cohesion, performance and strategy execution are at risk.

I believe that the same principles for fostering effective communication across ethnic cultures can help us mitigate the consequences of subculture collisions. Reflecting on Schein’s insights, I’m offering five steps toward effectively working across subcultures in your organization.

1. Initiate Inquiry
In Schein’s terms, take an approach of “humble inquiry”. Embody a curious spirit – ask questions while refraining from judgment. Questions like “Why?”, “When you say ___, what exactly do you mean?” or “What are you trying to achieve?” can illuminate the intention behind your counterpart’s actions.

2. Uncover Assumptions
As insight on the motivations and assumptions of others grows, turn the questions back on yourself. Identify and examine the assumptions you are bringing to the conversation.  What goals, factors, values and objectives are you taking for granted? How do you see the world differently than those in other sub-cultures?

3. Explicate Meaning
Statements such as “customer satisfaction is the top priority” can mean one thing to an engineer and something entirely different to someone in sales. This is often the source of much tension -- individuals mistakenly think they are in agreement when they're expressing two different ideas. Thus, get as granular and descriptive as possible in expressing your meaning and perspective to ensure shared understanding.

4. Exhibit Empathy
As assumptions surface, put yourself in your colleagues' shoes and strive to think from their perspectives. What are the forces at work in their subcultures? How might those forces influence behavior, motivation and goals? How might actions be interpreted differently through that cultural lens? Rather than jump to conclusions, examine the situation from other perspectives to foster effective communication.

5. Unify Visions
Once questions are asked, assumptions have surfaced, meanings have been confirmed and differing perspectives have been considered, it's time to aim for agreement. Articulate goals and values upon which you can agree -- and ensure the language used in your shared vision is descriptive and mutually understood.

Perhaps the best company-wide culture an organization can create is one that allows for those competencies to rise up. In cultures where inquiry and empathy are valued, the consequences of subculture collision can be minimized.

An Evening with Edgar Schein

My evening with Edgar Schein left me in awe. I met the father of corporate culture. How surreal.

Where would we be as organizations without the powerful insights Schein has brought to the conversation over the years? Where would I be as an individual without the concept of company culture, the core area of my work? It’s simply an honor to have heard him speak at this week’s Organization Development Network Chicago meeting.

Schein is attributed with coining the term "corporate culture" and widely known in the field for his model denoting three levels of organizational culture.

The three layers -- artifacts, espoused values and underlying assumptions -- play critical roles in how leaders can manage and sustain cultures of high performance.

• Artifacts essentially constitute the processes and systems in place, illustrating the need to consider desired workplace culture in the design of new initiatives, policies and procedures. Ultimately every new initiative or artifact will shape your culture -- so if they are not intentionally designed to support your desired culture, they quite possibly will undermine it.
• Espoused values include the traits that typically come to mind when you think of culture -- for example values of honesty, innovation and integrity. Moreover, the strategies leadership communicates, and the goals and objectives it defines also feed into the values layer of culture. It is vital for leaders to strategically communicate goals and strategies in a manner that aligns with the desired values and culture of the company. Contradiction in these core messages can lead to a culture of confusion and dysfunction.  
• Underlying assumptions is perhaps the most sneaky layer of the three. It can cause trouble in times of change if not given proper attention. Assumptions are our patterns of thought that give rise to behaviors and preferences. These are often unarticulated -- and since we don't realize we hold these assumptions, conflict can rise up when we encounter those who don't share these perspectives.

This model is multi-faceted and profound. I've shared only a few brief insights that stem from it, but there is so much more meaning to consider and explore. Thank you Dr. Schein for all the wisdom you've contributed to the field of organizational behavior and to my own learning and pursuits!

Hot Off the Presses: DDI Guest Blog

I was invited to write a guest blog for DDI about insights my recent trip to Shanghai. I discuss the concept of leveraging and managing through company culture to motivate and engage a Chinese workforce. Read it here!

Practiced Vulnerability: The sweet spot to work and life?

What would it take to make ourselves vulnerable? To be our true selves in our careers and our lives? And would the risk be worth it?

In a captivating TED talk, researcher Brene Brown explores vulnerability, calling it the gateway to life experience, connection and love. Her research findings reveal that a courage to be imperfect and an embrace of authenticity – giving up who you should be in exchange for who you are – are at the root of human connection. Those who embrace vulnerability believe that what makes them vulnerable also makes them beautiful.

This reminds me of the essence and magic of comedy improv – actors live out the concept of vulnerability. Every time actors speak out, they do so trusting that their fellow actors will adopt and build on their response. If they falter with a weak reply, they trust their team will save. It’s not about “was it good enough?” or “was it worthy of a comical response?” – it just is. Actors must believe they are worthy and support the worthiness of others, they must embrace vulnerability. This is what makes improv perfectly magical. And perhaps why my friends say that performing improv has saved their lives...

What would it mean to be this vulnerable with our own careers? What if we approached consulting engagements as actors approach improv? If vulnerability at an individual level is the gateway to positive life experience, connection, and love, then could vulnerability in the workplace be the gateway to creativity, innovation, freshness and client intimacy. Are “perfectly polished” consulting firm and corporate cultures inhibiting value creation? By their very definition of professionalism, are they limiting the insight and innovation they produce?

Perhaps what we need in the workplace is "practiced vulnerability".  Expertise is of the essence, and research reveals that practice and preparation enhance execution and outcomes. Thus, the flip side of “perfectly polished” is not “chaotic vulnerability”. In consulting, as with improv, there must be a method to the engagement approach and deep expertise individuals bring to the table. But a "perfectly polished" mindset assumes that consultants have all the answers. It assumes that revealing anything less would be unprofessional. I propose that by approaching engagements with “practiced vulnerability” - by bringing our whole selves to the engagement and not being afraid to not have all the answers – we, as consultants, can foster out-of-the-box idea generation, challenge assumptions, and drive client intimacy and value.  And perhaps, we will end up saving our own lives...

Navigating Seasons of Change

I spent the last 3 months dreading the end of summer.

Chicago winters are brutal, lingering in the air for an eternity. By the time warm weather hits, I’ve become so desperate, so driven to make the most of the summer that the constant fear of winter hangs over me like an ominous cloud on an otherwise beautiful day. It becomes a source of anxiety and pressure. Better BBQ at the park, better go to the beach, better hit that festival – winter is coming.

My fears remind me of the irrationality and emotion that come along with organizational change. Inspired by my aversion to this change of season, I’m sharing five simple truths to help you successfully manage change in your organization or in your life:

• Truth 1: Navigating change is about more than just the change itself.

Many organizations find it sufficient to tackle change initiatives with training – they target the change, identify the behaviors that need to adjust and ensure employees are equipped to do the new work. All good, but not enough. That would be like trying to conquer my fear of winter by buying sweaters and snow boots in July. It’s often not the change but fear of the change that has the most drastic effect on performance. Thus, it is just as critical to help employees manage their irrational fears and emotions as it is to help them build tactical skills.

• Truth 2: Uncertainty maximizes fear.

What is it going to be like? Am I going to be happy? Will it be painful? Will I adjust? Merely the uncertainty of the “impending doom” is enough make stress-levels rise. Even if employees have gone through similar changes in the past – as I’ve been through three Chicago winters – each future scenario is full of new ambiguities that can wreak havoc on our well-being.

• Truth 3: The past can be haunting.

Memories of the bitter cold haunted me.  Digging the car out of the snow. Feeling the cold penetrate my being. Missing the great outdoors. Have your employees been traumatized by past change? At your company or perhaps at another? These experiences can maximize fear and elevate resistance, reducing productivity long before the actual change comes into fruition.

• Truth 4: Gradual transition is critical.

Imagine waking up to a snowstorm following a beautiful summer day. Ouch. While a “band-aid ripping” approach to change may be tempting, it can also be traumatic. As autumn arrives before winter, it is easing me in and reminding me that non-summer isn’t all bad. Likewise, gradual progression -- allowing employees time to mourn their losses, say goodbye to the past and grow in feelings of competence -- is vital to any change initiative.

• Truth 5: Positive stories powerfully uplift spirits.

My husband, inspired by the cooler weather, filled our apartment with Christmas music. Flooded with positive memories of birthdays and holidays, family and fun, I began to anticipate what might be this winter season. What exciting adventures will the new season, the new year bring? How can this change, which I once dreaded, be transformed into a season of new possibilities?

Now, I feel the brisk, crisp air, soak in the treetops of golden hues and let pumpkin spices delight my taste buds. Summer is over, and I’m surprised at how I feel: refreshed.  Granted, it’s not yet winter. But the dread of summer now feels like a foolish waste of energy. Whatever the cold season brings, I am reminded of the opportunities on the horizon.

Invigoration.

I’m an extrovert working daily in an introvert’s heaven – my home office. No distractions. No friendly banter. No interruptions. No energy…

Thankfully, my recent trip to NYC was an amazing double shot of espresso. The movement, the activity, the people – it’s like life being poured back into me. Oh introverts in New York, how do you do it?

It’s also amazing how much the streets of New York remind me of the streets of Shanghai. The hustle and bustle. The late-night eats. The super-convenient subway that moves more than an inch per minute (sorry Chicago El, I’m just not impressed). And the Chinatown hair washes (xitou) – truly icing on the cake.

New energy, new life comes from being in the middle of such a lively place and from the sweet reminders of a place I used to call home. The novelty, the vivacity and the memories evoked by New York City were much needed for my own personal sanity.

Mental energy is not simply a whimsical feeling – it sustains us, motivates us and leads to our own well-being. When you’re feeling drained, what brings you back to life? For me it’s fresh, new experiences, high-energy, bustling environments and moments of nostalgia. What is it for you? A quiet evening with a good book? A cup of coffee with a good friend? Hosting a party and inviting all your neighbors? Whatever it is, find time for it in your life!

Now back in my home office, I close my eyes and call upon those feelings. Envisioning myself in Times Square, I draw in the energy once again. I think fondly back to reconnecting with best friends, to meeting colleagues for the first time, to simply getting lost in the crowds. Not quite as energizing as the real thing, but enough to get me through the work day.

Fun.

“Play me, I’m yours.” The piano, sitting in the middle of Manhattan, calls out to passersby. And people from all walks of life stop to play, to sing and to engage with the city that never sleeps.

It turns out these street pianos, scattered across New York City, comprised the Play Me, I’m Yours exhibit sponsored by non-profit Sing for Hope. For a few short weeks the pianos found their home in the street to “create, inspire, integrate and enliven communities”.

While I didn’t stop to play (due to seriously limited musical talent), there is something fabulous to be said about injecting fun into everyday routines. Simply the sight of pianos that just anyone could use made my heart jump with giddiness. I loved the way the city is full of opportunities to engage, to connect and to simply have fun.

Fun is a magical thing. It generates energy. It transforms moods and changes behavior. It renders laborious activities captivating. It stops us in our tracks and compels us to act and engage.

I’m certain there is more room for fun in our lives. What can we insert to motivate ourselves and the people around us? How can we use fun to bring together our community and our workplaces? Can fun replace monetary bonuses as incentives and lead to even better performance? Envision an environment where people are as ambitious about doing their work as they are seeing the sites of NYC. Imagine a workplace that screams, “Play me, I’m yours” -- yours to contribute to, yours to mold, yours to innovate.

I know that it can exist. I’ve heard about it. I’ve witnessed it. I’ve even experienced it just a bit. Now, I’m on a mission to create it.