"That is the way we do things around here." Have you ever heard that phrase when trying to affect positive change in your organization? It really doesn't matter how far-reaching the scope of your change. It doesn't matter if it is a technology implementation Dion Waiters Jersey , a deferral from the tried-and-true market strategy or simply a change in a scheduled meeting. The ability of your organization to share knowledge and information is predicated on the cultural temperament of your organization and its pace of change. New technology and the ability to analyze complex sets of information for the purpose of decision support have introduced constant change into the business environment. If the culture of an organization is not taken into consideration, changing the manner in which information is exchanged is an uphill climb.
What Really Comprises an Organizational Culture?
Culture is a multidimensional enigma that envelops the organization. Every member of the organization contributes to the culture in some manner. The history, style of leadership Alonzo Mourning Jersey , structural stability, level of work-force empowerment and the ability to adapt to a changing environment all contribute to the culture of an organization. Shaping the culture to face changes in the marketplace and environment depends in part on the ability for the organization's leadership to implement the guiding vision and mission. Every action taken must align with these vision and mission statements that express why the organization exists and how it will corporately conduct itself.
History and Background of Organization.
An organization's history and background are the foundation that can be built upon or a barrier to overcome. Some of the attributes to consider are:
?The age of your organization. Many well-established companies are slow to change. If they have lasted for more than 50 years, then why do things differently? Conversely Jimmy Butler Jersey , newer organizations tend to sway in the winds of change and haven't established roots deep enough to know how to react to new situations.
?The origins of your organization
Is your firm a conglomeration of many other smaller entities or a single-site manufacturing firm? There are considerations attached to either scenario. It is important that the history of your organization is known. When the pressure of a change situation is applied, old social norms can pop up. Understanding the origins assists in devising change management strategies.
Leadership Style
How the executives and senior management interact with the rest of the organization sets the tone of an organization's culture. Granted, these leaders cannot single handedly change the culture. (Unless they fire everyone and start from scratch Goran Dragic Jersey , not a likely scenario.) However, their leadership style dictates how they interact with their direct reports and the general employee population. These interactions send messages that have an impact on information sharing. Is the CEO sharing information? Does the average employee know the financial health of the company or the markets to be focused upon? Leadership style typically breaks down into two main categories:
?Command and Control ? Task orientation tends to be the marquee of the command and control leadership style. Micromanaging the direct reports by telling them what to do, how to do it Cheap Miami Heat Jerseys , when it should be done, by whom and where it should take place exemplifies high task-related behavior. There is only one-way communication with the exception of clarifying questions to make sure the objective is understood completely.
?DelegatingEmpowering ? Relationship orientation tends to be more facilitative and communicative. This leadership style depends on the synergy of the group to determine the best course of action. The behaviors exhibited included facilitation, listening Cheap Heat Jerseys , supporting and mentoring the other employees so that the best possible course of action can be created together. Employee buy-in is of great importance to this leadership style.
Structural Stability
The ability to withstand a change in organizational culture can be evident through some of the traditional business measures of stability. Financial strength, productivity and market focus are traditional business measures that define the stability of an organization's structure. However, twenty-first century business models recognize some less tangible attributes of an organization's structure that affect a change effort's success.
Are there functional siloed reporting structures or does the business process dictate who works for whom? Do the channels of communication flow freely across functional areas? Can a manager from engineering communicate a problem to a manager in marketing without involving the senior managers from each area? It is important to have the strength of common understanding across the organization to exemplify its structural stability. If open communication threatens the ability to produce Glen Rice Heat Jersey , the organization is not stable. This means being able to walk the walk and not just pay lip service to open communication and business process-related organizational structures.
Employee Empowerment Level
Just as the leadership of the organization can have a task or relationship orientation, so can the rest of the organization. Are the employees empowered to make decisions in their day-to-day activities that affect positive business results? The trickling down of decision-making authority tends to strengthen the fiber of an organization. Granted, this also means trickling down the accountability for success as well. Well-trained Shaquille O'Neal Heat Jersey , well-informed employees are essential to the successful empowered organization. High empowerment and high autonomy need to have well-defined guiding objectives.