It is the moral, social and behavioral norms of an organization based on their beliefs, values and priorities. It is the default mode that the members of an organization go to when feeling threatened.  It is a set of unwritten rules that reflect how things really get done.  It can also responsible for "early hiring failures", career stalls and derailments and high turnover of senior leaders brought in from the outside.  In other words, it is clearly something critical to be figured out and reckoned with!

 

Culture is as critical to us as coaches who want to coach people who work in organizations as it is to the people who do. How can you assess whether an organization's culture is a good fit for you?  How do you identify and describe "culture" as part of your target client companies or groups?  How do your support your clients as they seek to understand how to navigate this key piece of their career success? Check out the second article for some examples of questions to ask. And before you even do that...

 

The first step in this process is to get clear about what you are your client are looking for.  Let's use the definitions of Fit, Flex and Flee.  A "Culture Fit" is one where one feels like there is great alignment between one's own values, beliefs, comfort zones and ways of getting things done and those of the organization.  A "Culture Flex" is where there is much overlap between one's core values and beliefs and much of how things really operate or get done in the organization is outside of the individuals comfort zone.

A "Culture Flee" is where there is little in common in beliefs and values between the individual and the organization and to attempt to flex feels like being out of integrity with their personal values.

 

Using these descriptions clearly what we want for ourselves with our client companies and well as for our clients with their employers is either a "Culture Fit" or a "Culture Flex". "Culture

Flee" situations can be immensely rewarding if you are in the position to drive huge culture change from the top.  If not, Flee is most likely the best strategy for you and your client! 

 

The big risk in me saying that is that sometimes we and our clients will choose to see a "Culture Flex" opportunity as a "Culture Flee" as it is always easier for both of us to want to remain in our comfort zones versus flexing out of them!  Unfortunately, little to no growth takes place inside them.  Your big growth as a coach and that of your clients is most possible in "Culture Flex" situations. Even bigger than stretching to learn new skills or perspectives, flexing to create success and influence in a culture that takes you outside of how you already know how to operate effectively, totally ups your entire game! 

 

Some examples of Culture Flex points are: 

Relationship-focused versus Results-focused

Individual-focused versus Team-focused

Short-term focused versus Long-term focused

Hierarchical-behavior versus Entrepreneurial-behavior

Local-centric versus Global-centric

Grow-our-own-talent versus Hire-from-the-outside

Process Orientation versus Best Firefighters

Conflict-embracing versus Conflict-avoiding

 

Looking down this list, it is clear that having the ability to create 

success in each of these different ways would be good things to know how to do. The more experience both we and our clients at doing so, the larger our capacity to do and be more. 

 

If either coach or client decides to choose comfort over growth, that is a tradeoff to be sure is being made with eyes wide open!  All conscious choice is good! 

 

It is the unconscious choices that benefit from more awareness...