Companies wishing to benefit from the advantages of agile methods frequently find that their corporate culture is inconsistent with agile values. Frequently the cultural change is at first restricted to the mere presence of the usual suspect artefacts: a football table, gladly also a Kanban board in colourful surroundings, decorated with many colourful Post-its. We all are currently experiencing such a different environment regularly and it radiates a different, more pleasant atmosphere. However, in order to achieve more creative co-operation, a faster launch, better product quality, lower risk or greater transparency, it is not sufficient to change the working environment, to “prescribe” design thinking or scrum processes to employees. The basis for the use of agile frameworks or methods is an agile corporate culture which bears the purpose in mind, the “Why? The question as to the sense should be asked constantly. Otherwise, “agile transformation” remains the famous next “bandwagon to jump on”. Organisational culture must be formed and challenged in order to accept the new approaches and agile mind-sets. Managers and teams must be accompanied to really practise agility. Only when companies and employees are ready for the new, focus on common values and have strong inner stability will agile transformation be successful. Corporate culture points the way like a compass. But how does a company record its own culture and – even more importantly – how does it change it? We help you to find this out.
Defining corporate culture is no easy task. One can best describe it as a network of convictions and behavioural practices which is perceived and experienced by outsiders such as customers and partners in the same way as by the employees of a company. In principle, culture in an organisation manifests itself in three ways: through visible behavioural practices and symbols (“artefacts”), through the values upheld and through the form of organisation.
Behavioural practices and symbols provide a visible indication of what appears to be important to a company. These include, among others, routines and habits in dealings with each other, the design of the workplaces, the dress code, status symbols such as company iPhones or also the quality of the coffee machine.
Nowadays, values practised in a company are frequently published, e.g. on the website of a company. They influence many areas of the organisation and are demonstrated, for example, in the understanding of management, in the way in which communication is carried out officially and unofficially, in the approach to performance, errors and rules or also in the character of the stories and legends which are spread in or about the company.
Last but not least, the form of the organisation with established structures and processes has the effect of a concealed determinant on the corporate culture.
We shall be pleased to guide you through the analysis of your corporate culture with the right questions and also help you to draw the correct conclusions from the answers.
Unfortunately, most older, conservative companies cultivate a rather paralysing corporate culture. Employees are encouraged to obey rules, maintain order, secure successes for themselves and avoid mistakes. The management board sets aims and simultaneously acts as a supervisory body. In such a regulated environment, a person naturally feels controlled by others – and acts out of necessity rather than motivation.
The alternative is a corporate culture in which employees see their actions as meaningful because they feel that they belong, have common goals and enjoy what they do. A culture which searches for positive solutions for all those involved: for We solutions. We regard We solutions and We-oriented actions as the basis of a positive, productive corporate culture. Moreover, we believe that We solutions, which we call “Welutions”, are the pre-condition for agile and long-term actions in our Vuca world and the ability to survive. Please contact us!
