Diagnosing Culture

There is a culture diagnostic tool developed by Kim Cameron and Robert Quinn in 2006. It essentially states there are four types of organizational cultures, which exist along a competing values framework. The competing values are:

• Flexibility & Discretion vs. Stability & Control
• Internal Focus & Integration vs. External Focus & Differentiation

Using these values, Cameron and Quinn group organizations into four cultural categories depending on their results:

• Clan Culture: collaborative, friendly, teamwork abounds, colleagues are like family, leaders are mentors, emphasizes loyalty, tradition, cohesion, and concern for people.
• Adhocracy Culture: creative, dynamic, entrepreneurial, cutting edge, risk-taking, initiative and freedom are encouraged, being an industry leader is important
• Market Culture: competitive, results and goal oriented, hard-charging, productive, concerned with reputation, success, and winning
• Hierarchy Culture: controlled, structured, formal, rules and procedures emphasized, dependability, stability, performance, and efficient operations are prioritized

First, identify the culture you want.

Many governments identify as a Hierarchy Culture and aspire to be different. But it is important to be specific and articulate what kind of culture you want, so the differences become clear. As you complete a diagnostic process, make note of the differences between the culture you have and the one you want.

Second, interview and observe.

• Observe the common behaviors in your organization and ask others to observe them as well.
  • Which behaviors contribute to your goals?
  • Which behaviors detract from your goals?
• If you were performing at your best, which behaviors would be common? Which would be gone?
  • How would we treat residents differently?
  • How would employees exchange ideas with one another?
  • How would challenging issues get raised and resolved within the organization?
• Notice what words people use when they describe the challenges and opportunities in their organization
  • Do they say “us” and “we” or do they say “they” or “them.” The latter may indicate a lack of ownership in both the problem and the solution.
    • For example, do people talk as if “data” is someone else’s domain, like the IT department?
  • Do they say “can’t” or “won’t” or “shouldn’t” more than they say “can” or “could” or “should?” These words choices indicate the level of risk aversion and innovation among employees.
  • Do they more frequently talk about challenges than opportunities? Or is it the reverse?
  • Do they contribute to each other’s ideas or tear them down?
  • Do they talk about they way things used to be with nostalgia? Or do they talk about the way things could be with optimism?
  • Can they explain why they do certain activities or why your programs operate the way they do? Or do they put those answers to a person higher in the organization?
• Conduct interviews with employees at all levels of the organization. Focus on those who are well respected, informally influential, and attuned to the organization's culture.
• Ask everyone who they consider the ultimate stakeholder. The differences in perspectives will reveal cultural disconnects and opportunities for alignment around a common mission and vision.
• Interview stakeholders about their perceptions of the organization? Ask them about their experiences as a “customer” and write down the common words they use to describe those experiences.
  • Treat perceptions of the organization as facts.
• Identify the sub-cultures and micro-cultures through interviews, and analyze social media feedback and differences between component perceptions.

Fourth, consider how the following factors are influencing your culture:

• Organizational Structure and Process
  • Centralization vs. decentralization
  • Autonomy vs. micro-management
  • Reporting structures and spans of control
  • Decision making processes
  • Information flows
• People
  • Leaders
  • Managers
  • Front Lines
  • Customers
  • Stakeholders
• Incentives
  • Compensation
  • Seniority
  • Recognition
  • Access
• Performance Management
  • Results/Evaluations
  • Feedback
  • Frequency
  • Remediation/Accountability