Culture: The Invisible Employee in Your Organization

By Jayson Krause, Managing Director of Level 52 & Award-Winning Author of The Science Behind Success

In the bustling hive of any organization, there's an unseen worker that never clocks out. This tireless employee is always on duty, influencing decisions, shaping behaviors, and setting the tone for every interaction. This invisible employee is your organization's culture.

Culture, often relegated to the intangible, is as real and impactful as any member of your team. It's the silent partner that either amplifies your efforts or sabotages your success. It's the unseen force that either fosters innovation and collaboration or breeds resentment and disengagement.

Think of your corporate strategy and the talent within it as the DNA of your organization. Your culture is not the DNA, but simply, the force that determines how that DNA is expressed. It's the unique combination of values, beliefs, and norms that influence the viruses that are spread within your company and inform how you do your business. It's the soul of your brand, the essence of your identity, the heartbeat of your enterprise.

But here's the kicker: culture, like any employee, needs vision, direction, nurturing, and feedback. It doesn't just happen; it's deliberately and meticulously engineered. It's the result of conscious choices, consistent actions, and clear communication. It's the product of leadership that understands the power of culture and is committed to cultivating it.

So, how do you manage this invisible employee?

First, you need to understand your current culture. What are the behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs that are prevalent in your organization? What are the values that are being lived, and what are the ones that are being ignored?

Next, you need to define your desired culture. What are the values that you want to be the pillars of your culture? What are the behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs that you want to encourage and reward?

Then, you need to align your systems, processes, and practices with your desired culture. You need to empower individuals to be the custodians of the culture they want and need. This usually involves training programs, performance management systems, communication strategies, and so on.

Finally, you need to regularly assess your culture, to see if you're moving in the right direction. Are we getting the expression we intended? Are there mutations we need to address and cultural viruses we need to inoculate against? It’s never-ending work.

Culture is not just a buzzword or a nice-to-have. It's a strategic asset, a competitive advantage, a game-changer. It's the invisible employee that either makes or breaks your organization. So, don't underestimate the power of culture. Don't ignore it, don't neglect it, don't take it for granted. Because culture is the hardest working employee you'll ever have.

Are you navigating the turbulent waters of culture transformation? Need a boost at your next conference or offsite? Harness the power of cultural viruses, activate culture custodians and steer your organization towards success with our Leadership Disruption Keynote based on the Science Behind Success™.