The Transperience Actbook: Synchronizing Culture

You immediately spotted them. There was something about them, the way they talked or walked. You could not say what, but instantly you knew they were strangers. Which automatically and unconsciously made you more aware and alert. You were ready to defend yourself and your tribe. You became culturally protective.

The gut reaction to cultural differences is not curiosity and interest. It is alarm and withdrawal. Instantly, we prepare to fight or flight. The question of survival comes before anything else. Only when we feel physical and psychological safe are we ready to open our minds and hearts.?

When companies merge, onboard new people, or establish new teams, the same old brain regions come alive and control the first reaction to change. Cultural differences can either promote integration and generate new opportunities, or work against the intention and ruin everything.?That is why synchronizing culture in organizations is so important.?

Culture is a system of learned and shared beliefs, values and actions that we use to identify ourselves and provide a framework within which to live and work. Culture is reflected in our worldviews, stories, artifacts and actions. It is the collective environment that shapes who we are and what we do.

Any organization has a unique cultural vibe, created by the people who work there. It allows and welcomes some behaviors, and rejects or ignores others. The vibe is not tangible or quantifiable, but definitely perceptible and noticeable. Aligning cultural vibes and creating resonance is key to foster cohesion during times of change. What resonates, integrates.

When merging companies

According to Mckinsey, 95 percent of executives consider cultural fit critical to integration success. Yet 25 percent cite a lack of cultural cohesion and alignment as the main reason why integration efforts fail.

The transperiental approach to synchronizing culture during a merger is to establish a hub of integration. Here, the merging companies can explore the potential and possibilities in a neutral, creative and safe atmosphere. The hub is a kind of common third that can serve as:

• A junction for ideas, projects, systems, people and teams
• A lab to discover what to keep, stop/decrease or start/increase
• A test ground for strategic measures and integrated solutions
• A time-out zone for solving issues and conflicts of interest
• A playground for innovative experiments and disruptive ideas

The hub is where social tapestries are weaved through events, reciprocal interviews, field studies and other engaging activities. Here, all or parts of the merging community are involved in the evolution of mindset, purpose, vision, mission, business goals, values, operating models, new activities and much more.

When onboarding people

Onboarding of employees and partners has become a priority in project management and new business development. You want to engage the right people in the right way, and allow them to dip in the cultural marinade without losing their own spice and originality.

A well performed cultural onboarding lets newcomers grasp the unwritten rules, allows them to navigate in a new environment, offers support when times are tough, invites them to contribute to the tribe or community, and provides a shared purpose. The great story of individual accomplishment and collective prosperity starts here.

The transperiental approach to synchronizing culture during onboarding of new people is to accelerate the process through experience, practice learning, and experimentation. Nothing beats intensity when it comes to cultural onboarding. Outdoor camps and team-based learning journeys outperform indoor classes and virtual meetings. Be it, do it, together.

When forming?teams

Studies show what accelerates the formation of high-performing teams: trust, clarity, accountability, humor, openness, bonding, dedication, empathy, reliability, enthusiasm. Many of these team traits are essentially personal qualities we can mirror in each other.

What makes us work closely and happily together is resonance. Something in me resonates with something in you, and in the social reality we are co-creating. In spite of or because of our differences, we find working together so important and fulfilling that we are ready to let go of egoic behavioral patterns and fully engage in the task.?

The transperiental approach to synchronizing culture when forming teams is to combine the structural, cultural and personal aspects of collaboration: sharing stories, formulating a team mission, defining guiding principles, agreeing on shared responsibilities, and finding a way to balance frame and freedom.

From workshop to workspace

Merging, onboarding, or team formation. The process of synchronizing culture can start with a workshop where the idea can be presented and explored in the relevant forum.?

If cultural synchronization becomes an ambition or intention, the next step is to form a core team around it and agree on formalities such as timing, resources, and funding.

Cultural differences can either lead to integration and innovation, or cause friction and failure. Synchronizing the cultural vibes right from the start will make both life and work easier, funnier and more rewarding for everyone involved. May the good vibes be with you.