Sustaining Culture

They are taught the history of the firm

Managers are responsible for sustaining organizational culture, by helping new employees learn and adapt to it. A new worker, for example, must be taught what behaviors are valued and rewarded by the organization, so that he or she can learn the "system" and gradually assume those behaviors that are appropriate to their role.

At coffee retailer Starbucks, every employee goes through a set of formal classes during their first few weeks on the job. They are taught the history of the firm, coffee-making techniques, and how to explain Starbucks Italian drink names to baffled customers, and given coffee-tasting classes. The firms socialization program turns out employees who are well versed in the company's culture and can represent Starbucks obsession with "elevating the coffee experience" for its customers.

ACTION POINT: Elevate the "lighting" experience for your employees and your customers.

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?

Ensuring Cultural Fit

The cultural imperatives of an organization are often not written down or even discussed, but all successful managers must learn what to do and what not do do in their organizations.

An organization's culture, or personality, refers to the key characteristics that the organization values and that distinguish it form other organizations. Managers need to be aware of organizational culture because they are expected to respond to the dictates of the culture themselves and also to develop an understanding of the culture in those they are managing.

The cultural imperatives of an organization are often not written down or even discussed, but all successful managers must learn what to do and what not do do in their organizations. In fact, the better the match between the manager's personal style and the organization's culture, the more successful the manager is likely to be. Founders create culture in three ways. First they hire and keep employees who think and feel the way they do. Second, founders indoctrinate and socialize these employees to their way of thinking. Their, founders act as role models, and their personality becomes central to the culture of the organization.

ACTION POINT: Identify the unwritten cultural imperatives for your organization.