Analyzing Organizational Culture

Many organizations have given little thought to their culture and do not readily display it.

Being able to discern an organization's culture is not always a simple task. Many organizations have given little thought to their culture and do not readily display it. To try to find out more about your organization's culture, you might:

• Observe the physical surroundings. Look at signs, pictures, styles of dress, length of hair, the degree of openness among offices, and how those offices are furnished and arranged.
• Listen to the language. For example, do managers use military terms, such as "take no prisoners," and "divide and conquer"? Or do they speak about "intuition," "care," and "our family of customers"?
• Ask different people the same questions and compare their answers. you might ask: how does this company define success? For what are employees most rewarded? Who is on the fast tract and what did they do to get there?

ACTION POINT: What do your surroundings and language say about your culture?