“Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain.”
~ Author Unknown
What are the mountains in your organization and life? What are the pebbles? The mountains are the big things to which we always pay attention. It may be a big vision and mission, or it could be the goals for the day where we feel the most pressure. We tend to pay attention to the mountains. However, the pebbles are what make up the mountain. The culture of your organization, team or your very life are the pebbles. Culture can easily go unnoticed, which can be where we stumble.
Here are some components of culture for us to pay attention and be effective:
Culture: Who We Are
Culture is based on who you are, whether as an organization, a smaller team unit or as an individual person. Our values determine our culture. Values are like pebbles because they can often seem under the surface; however, they are the very ground we stand on. When our values are not clear, we can slip and fall as an individual or as an organization.
What are your values? Are they clearly defined among all your team members?
Culture: How We Do It
Culture based on values also sets the principles on how we do our work. How we do something is seen in our behaviors. Values provide guidance for a group of people to decide what are acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. This informs how we live day to day, which then forms our culture. Bill George in his book, Discover Your True North, explains this well:
When we have a clear understanding of your values and their relative importance, you can establish the principles by which you lead. Leadership principles are values translated into practice. They are life navigational instruments that sailors use to get their bearings at sea, as they fix the direction of their travel. For example, a value, such as “concern for others,” might translate into a leadership principle, such as “create a work environment where people are respected for contributions, provided job security, and allowed to fulfill potential.”
How do you incorporate your values into your decision making? Are you and your team clear on what are acceptable and unacceptable behaviors?
Culture: Why We Do It
Culture is part of the underlying energy in a group of people. When culture is strong, morale and passion are high. People feel good and even energized about coming to work and being with a group of people. Part of this is being connected to a vision and mission that are clear and give meaning to their work. They know how their purpose connects to the bigger purpose of the organization.
The other part is knowing that their personal values connect well with the organization’s overall values. A person’s values are an intimate part of who they are and a strong motivator. Therefore, when hiring people, it is not always about job skills, but more importantly if they are a cultural fit. People who don’t fit the culture cause havoc and eventually leave. This is especially true with hiring or promoting leaders in your organization because they are the models of your culture.
How do you help people on your team express their personal values and purpose?
Culture is a precious entity for a group of people. It is a foundation on which we stand or slip. How will you pay attention to it and intentionally nurture it in your team?