6 Domains to Assess Culture Norms.

Have you ever been part of a new workplace but you find it hard to assess the culture of that new workplace?

The following domains are areas in which cultural norms may vary significantly from company to company. You can use this checklist to help them figure out how things really work in the organizations they’re joining.

Influence. How do people get support for critical initiatives? Is it more important to have the support of a patron within the senior team, or affirmation from your peers and direct reports that your idea is a good one?

Meetings. Are meetings filled with dialogue on hard issues, or are they simply forums for publicly ratifying agreements that have been reached in private?

Execution. When it comes time to get things done, which matters more—a deep understanding of processes or knowing the right people?

Conflict. Can people talk openly about difficult issues without fear of retribution? Or do they avoid conflict—or, even worse, push it to lower levels, where it can wreak havoc?

Recognition. Does the company promote stars, rewarding those who visibly and vocally drive business initiatives? Or does it encourage team players, rewarding those who lead authoritatively but quietly and collaboratively?

Ends versus means. Are there any restrictions on how you achieve results? Does the organization have a well-defined, well-communicated set of values that is reinforced through positive and negative incentives?