The culture of an organization is set by the ones leading it. We can’t complain about something that we have the power and responsibility to create. If we do not like the current culture in our organization it is up to us to create a new one. Remember culture is nothing more than the accepted practices of those who are part of the organization. Accepted practices can change over time, especially as people change. What was once important might not be deemed important any longer so there will be a change in culture. A change in actions on a regular basis will bring about a change in culture whether we want it to or not.
The problem though is that many times culture changes, not because of a conscious decision to change culture but simply because of neglect. What we used to do faithfully we no longer do. It became too difficult, too time consuming, too difficult to measure the effects of, or we simply got lazy. But then 6 mos. later we notice that our culture has changed and we no longer like what we see or are experiencing. We used to take time to engage in lingering conversations but now we are too busy and what was once an engaging culture is now one more geared toward production and outcomes. What to do?
Every action or lack thereof will leave an impact either positively or negatively. Do an assessment of your current culture and determine if this is really the culture you want. If not, you have the power and responsibility to create the one you do desire to function in. Was the change due to conscious decisions or neglect? Decisions can be remade and things neglected can once again take priority. But it will only happen once you take the initiative to assess and determine change needed. We are approaching the beginning of a new year and if you are looking at changing the culture of your organization or even your team, Jan 2018 is a great time to implement. But you better start thinking it through now so that come Jan 1 you have a sense of direction.
D.O.V.E.