“Organizational Culture”: Defining What it Means to You

Every organization has its own mission and goals. How does your association’s team structure ensure that the organization’s mission is always in sight?

The ROI of organizational culture, and more, in today’s Lunchtime Links:

Maintaining an agile organization: How can you improve your organization’s culture? Bob Gower, author of The Art of Agile Business, says (predictably), “keep it agile.” He has some ideas on organizational behavior worth experimenting with  (opens in a new tab) to help the organization improve over time. “Agile processes and tools are actually install mechanisms for culture,” he writes for PandoDaily. “By requesting people to work together in certain ways, track specific metrics, and check in with each other at specified intervals, companies can put in place the building blocks for people to interact in positive, productive ways.”

It starts with values: Leadership consultant Jamie Notter has his own definition of “organizational culture.”  (opens in a new tab) He defines it as “the collection of words, actions, thoughts, and ‘stuff’ that clarifies and reinforces what a company truly values.” Notter says it’s important for an organization to be clear about what it values and to have an understandable definition of culture that will drive staff performance. “I don’t care if you use my definition,” he writes, “but pick one and run with it.” How do you define “organizational culture”? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Pass the talking stick around: It’s important to give everyone on your staff a chance to speak, exchange ideas, and become a part of the team that comes up with solutions. Holding small meetings with attendees arranged in a circle, or using props like talking sticks, can increase employee participation—and their loyalty to your organization. “Listening is a really important part of the circle. In a lot of environments, people talk over each other. Making space for different kinds of people, different voices, different ideas, is really important for the success of the business,” fashion entrepreneur Eileen Fisher writes in Inc. magazine  (opens in a new tab). What kind of system does your association use to give employees a voice?

What interesting reads have you found today? Let us know in your comments below.

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