Uncorking Culture: A First Sip

I recently attended a fancy wine tasting. The sommelier guided us through a lineup of complex reds and oaked chardonnays. As we swirled, tasting notes filled the air - “Hints of black cherry and tobacco.” “Such structure!”

When the sommelier asked if I detected notes of grapefruit, I mumbled “Oh yes, so much grapefruit, and tannins too!” as I sipped wine that tasted like...well, wine.

Confession time: I had NO idea what we were talking about!

Of course, I can usually tell a good wine from bad - I can at least tell when a bottle's been sitting open and spoiling on the kitchen counter all week (Hey! Desperate times...). But beyond that, it's all just a bunch of pretentious buzzwords to me. Sorry! I know! So uncultured!

While I was completely lost during the wine tasting, it very quickly felt like we had passed the point where I could ask an honest question without looking like an uncultured dummy, so I just went along with it.

The crazy irony is that the same was probably true for at least half the room.

Have you ever felt this way when discussing corporate culture?

You're not alone. And it's not your fault!

Like a pretentious sommelier, as work culture speakers, trainers, and consultants, we are so often guilty of yada yada yadaing over the building blocks... we too often fail to define our terms in meaningful ways.

Instead, we skip right to the part where we warn you that you better fix your culture right now or your business is doomed to fail!

Before you know it, you're nodding your head and mumbling things like... "Yup, I definitely detect some notes of micromanagement and a hint of incivility."

While thinking... 'I will get right on fixing this amorphous toxic culture thing as soon as I get back to my desk... and figure out what that means and how the heck I'm supposed to do that!'

Over the next few weeks, I invite you to join me as we use this platform to help change that with a jargon-free exploration of work culture.

Let's demystify this.

What Exactly is Work Culture?

At its core, work culture is the 'personality' of an organization or team.? It's the shared beliefs, values, and unwritten rules that influence how employees think and interact. It's the environment that affects how work gets done and how you feel while doing it.

Spotting Culture in Action:

Culture goes deep and its not always easy to recognize whats happening under the surface at first, but here are some tangible signs to look for:

• Communication: How often do colleagues talk? Is communication top-down or a two-way street?
• Work-Life Balance: Are late hours the norm, or is there respect for personal time?
• Decision-Making: Are decisions made collectively, or do a few at the top hold the reins?
• Interaction: Is collaboration encouraged, or do people mostly work solo?
• Dress Code: Formal suits or casual Fridays?
• Risk-Taking: Do innovations flourish, or is the status quo preferred?
• Recognition: How are job well-done moments acknowledged?
• Diversity & Inclusion: Is diversity celebrated? Are diverse opinions and disagreements welcome? Does everyone have a voice?

These are just some of the surface level indicators, like taking a swig of wine and recognizing whether its sweet, dry, or completely spoiled. But this is where culture work begins. It begins with noticing the symptoms before we can start to dig deeper.

A Challenge For You:

Take a moment to observe your workplace through these lenses. What stands out? Even this step can be difficult... we need to truly step back and take an objective look, like its your first day again. Recognizing these elements can be your first step to understanding and eventually refining your work culture.

But remember, culture goes deeper than these surface manifestations. Like peeling an onion, there are many layers beneath, each more profound and impactful. Next week, we'll pull back another layer, go a little deeper and start getting closer to the the elements driving these behaviors and specific actions we can take to enhance our work cultures.

Join me as we embark on a jargon-free exploration of work culture over the next few weeks. Subscribe to our newsletter, if you aren't already, and together, let's shed some light on this incredibly important topic.