Harnessing the Power of Culture™

<<Back

Organizational Climate

Openness to Change – The organization openly embraces (and is energized by) change and allows its policies and decision-making to be influenced by customers, industry trends, and market segments in the External Environment. Openness to Change creates a climate in which people expect today to be different than yesterday.

Constructive Conflict – The organization encourages people to challenge the status quo, to question the reasoning and assumptions that motivate organizational decisions, and to use conflict that arises over differences of opinion to stimulate learning and improvement. Constructive Conflict creates a climate of synergy, exploration and growth, where organizational units (and the people in them) become a learning organization.

Tradition – The organization uses its history and culture (stories, heroes, lessons learned) to help managers and staff members identify with the organization’s purpose and core values, and to teach people how problems should (or should not) be handled. Tradition creates a climate in which people expect today to be like yesterday.

Creativity – The organization views creativity, innovation, and improvement as an important part of the job; provides the resources for managers and staff members to develop their creativity abilities; and encourages people to use their creative abilities to solve work-related problems. Creativity creates a climate in which people can find a sense of meaning and significance in their work by using their creative abilities to help the organization achieve its objectives and goals.

Management Philosophy – The organization has a well-defined management philosophy about the authority and accountability given to managers that is well-understood by all employees. A well-defined Management Philosophy creates a climate that eliminates the tendency of managers to establish their own rules about what they can, and cannot, do based on experience, expertise, intellectual horsepower, and personality preferences.

Just Culture – A Just Culture is the cornerstone of all organizational culture and the foundation of organizational trust where managers adopt a “no blame” philosophy that focuses causal analysis of organizational performance problems on structures, systems, and culture, rather than individuals. In addition, the organization exhibits “fair process” in interactions with all employees. A Just Culture creates a climate in which people trust their leaders and managers to deliver on their promises and do what they say.

<<Back

Personality in Context™