Leadership and culture chasm
Often a large chasm separates a company’s image from its substance. The leadership hopes the latter will catch up eventually.
Here is something to consider when changing and strengthening the company culture:
- Companies have both “values” (scripts for how people ought to behave) and what are called “norms” (how people mostly behave). And if the values and the norms need to be in sync, you’ve got problems.
- People take their cues, signals, and hints from watching other people’s ( especially leaders’) behavior and less from reading memos sent down from the higher ranks.
- If you encourage people to lead in their tasks with or without authority, be curious and innovative, and be a part of the team without sacrificing their capacity to change while everyone around them is moving in a caravan-like manner, easy, safe, and predictable, there will be a disconnect.
Often there is a chasm between a company’s idealized and actual states. The objective is to understand and implement the “how” of bringing them closer together.
I would love to hear about your experiences! Please share your stories at satishmehtausa@gmail.com. Please forward this knowledge letter to those who could benefit from it. They can subscribe to it here or by clicking on the link below.
Thank you,
