Basics of Culture Audits CS By Cynthia Solomon Culture defines acceptable and appropriate behaviors in an organization. As such, it is a management resource that can be used to meet organizational objectives, just like knowledge, machinery, raw materials, dollars, and human resources. Before attempting any kind of culture change initiative, the organization needs to know what the culture is and how it works, what type of culture would best support organizational strategy, recognize and use the levers that influence culture, and be clear about whether it wants to change the culture. The culture audit is the tool to use to get at the substance of an organization’s culture so that the organization understands where and how to drive change toward the preferred culture Common organizational cultures Here are some common descriptions of various kinds of organizational cultures. As you read them, consider what words might be ideal descriptions for your organization given its strategy and mission. Do the outward expressions of culture that you have observed support the described ideal? Also note that few of these cultures could be directly described as bad or good for an organization. However, some are more appropriate for certain kinds of organizations than others. • Safety. A safety culture conducts its work with particular attention to the protection of workers, equipment, and the environment. • Quality. A quality-oriented culture conducts work with attention to the quality of the organization’s products and services and prides itself on being the best in the business. Organizations with a quality culture continuously strive to do better. • Ethical. An ethical culture stresses ethical behavior. The employees of ethical organizations are expected to follow a code of conduct and deal honestly with other employees, clients, and the public. • Technology-driven. A technology-driven culture uses state-of-the-art technology to provide products and services to customers. Organizations with this type of culture pride themselves on being up-to-date with the latest in technology. • Innovation. Innovation cultures are willing to take risks on new ideas, processes, and products to stay on the cutting edge. Organizations that have this kind of culture are willing to be wrong, or experience failures once in a while to be open to the new discoveries that drive their ultimate success. • Customer service. Organizations that are customer-service oriented focus on customer needs and expectations for their products and services. These organizations focus on keeping customers happy because they want to encourage repeat customers who will make referrals. • Caring and compassion. Cultures that are characterized by the terms “caring” and “compassion” are particularly attentive to the feelings and needs of the people they serve, especially in vulnerable or high-need situations. The emergency ward example given previously could be described as a caring and compassionate culture. • Team. Team cultures value the heightened effectiveness of a diverse group of people who pool their individual talents to achieve more and better results than individuals can alone. • Represented employee In a represented-employee culture, a union speaks with one voice on behalf of its constituent member employees. • Military. Military culture is characterized by strict chains of command and the following of orders from persons in superior positions. • Constructive. In a constructive culture, employees are highly collegial with one another. They are expected to help each other reach high degrees of job satisfaction, personal and group achievement, and social or relationship ties. • Passive-defensive. In a passive-defensive culture, members feel they must act in a safe way to avoid personal risk. This type of culture is characterized by individuals who seek approval, avoid risk, and acknowledge their dependence on others. • Aggressive-defensive-competitive. In this type of culture, members are expected to be engaged in highly energetic execution of their roles and be forceful to protect themselves and achieve individual goals. In this kind of culture, individuals are competitive and perfectionist, and they seek power, position, and personal reward. What’s in a culture audit? According to Daniel Denison, the process of a culture audit typically involves examination of the documents of the official culture: corporate histories, findings from internal and external studies, and standard sources of data on financial performance. The phases of an audit are selecting an audit instrument or tool, collecting data, analyzing data, and preparing recommendations for change. The heart of an audit, however, is to uncover values and beliefs through interviews, focus groups, surveys, and direct observations of people. The areas most frequently examined in a culture audit include: • organizational mission, vision, and values