EdGrimshaw.com

When some organisations go for a culture change they go directly to change their mission and values. Transformation rather than transition. Worse still they go for some espoused or aspirational position. In an ideal world this is how we will be, this is how we will operate. Sometimes little attention is given to how they got where they are now and why? Cultural change is often an adaptation to a change in the environment rather than by management design. The conditions have changed and often employees will just continue to make things work - just better!

Cultural Immanence is about creating the conditions that are likely to develop the organisation in a way that is beneficial. It a process of cultivation rather than imposition.

How to transit from one position to another. So in changing conditions its useful to map and model what supports and what restricts the movement between. If the reward and career advancement systems encourage passivity and risk aversion then people are unlikely to take any chances.

Cultural Transmission: The culture is transmitted through layout, icons, organisational structures, channels of communication, uniform (formal & informal), meeting spaces, habits and rituals.

For instance does the organisation run casade briefings, team meetings or just make announcements. Is the process of information exchange a dialogue, a transmission or an open and honest communication. How is knowledge exchanged or withheld? Do ideas flow through the organisation?

Can people grow within their roles rather than have to change them to move on? Is each idea evaluated on its own merits or does it depend where it comes from?

What are the behaviourial changes that would best represent the revised culture? What would you like to see more of and less of?