Change initiatives in organizations encompass a broad spectrum of efforts, including mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, rightsizing, and strategic focus initiatives such as Six Sigma, innovation, performance enhancement, and becoming a learning organization. Within this spectrum, diversity management stands as a pivotal change initiative. The success of such initiatives heavily relies on understanding and addressing organizational culture. Dr. James O Rodgers, known as The Diversity Coach™ provides a comprehensive approach to culture assessment through its CultureScan™ process, revolutionizing diversity management strategies and enhancing the likelihood of successful change implementation.
Understanding Organizational Culture
Organizational culture is often described as “how we do things around here.” It is the collective personality of the organization, a subconscious driver of daily behavior. While everyone in a company intuitively understands what is acceptable and what is not, few can articulate the values and assumptions that shape these behaviors. This tacit knowledge is crucial to the functioning of the organization but often goes unexamined and unchallenged.
The analogy of a fish discovering water for the first time highlights the challenge of understanding culture from within. Just as a fish is unaware of the water it swims in, employees and leaders can be blind to the cultural norms that dictate their actions. An objective and experienced professional, like The Diversity Coach™, can help organizations articulate and codify their culture, making it possible to analyze and modify behaviors that may hinder success.
The Role of Culture in Change Initiatives
The success of change initiatives is significantly influenced by the organization’s culture. Studies show that over 80% of change efforts either fail or underperform, primarily due to cultural resistance. Understanding culture is, therefore, a critical step in planning and executing any change initiative, including diversity management.
Culture can be both a source of success and failure. It is shaped by patterns of behavior that have historically worked well in a given environment. However, when the environment changes—due to market shifts, new leadership, or strategic redirection—these entrenched behaviors can become obstacles. Identifying and addressing these “creeping behaviors” is essential for adapting to new challenges.
Identifying and Replacing Creeping Behaviors
“Creeping behaviors” are ingrained habits that may have been effective in the past but become detrimental in a new context. Examples include:
- The habit of wearing formal attire when clients dress casually.
- The habit of dictating what good service looks like instead of listening to client needs.
- The habit of delivering messages through indirect channels.
- The habit of expecting employees to navigate success without guidance.
To overcome these behaviors, The Diversity Coach™ advocates for the introduction of “leverage behaviors.” These are specific, positive behaviors that replace the old ones, aligning with the organization’s new strategic direction. The principle is similar to natural law: just as darkness can only be overcome by introducing light, negative behaviors can only be replaced by establishing new, successful patterns.
The process involves identifying no more than three leverage behaviors and focusing on them over a five to seven-year period. This long-term approach is necessary because cultural change is inherently slow and requires sustained effort to become the new norm.
CultureScan™: A Comprehensive Assessment Tool
CultureScan™ is an innovative tool developed by The Diversity Coach™ to thoroughly examine an organization’s culture. Unlike traditional employee surveys or opinion assessments, CultureScan™ is akin to an archaeological dig. It involves extensive research, including:
- Reviewing existing employee surveys.
- Conducting interviews with senior executives.
- Facilitating focus groups.
- Performing archival research.
- Summarizing the history of the organization.
The goal is to uncover the core beliefs and values that drive current behaviors. The influence of founding leaders often plays a significant role, with their values and behavior systems leaving a lasting impact on the organization, even centuries later.
The Importance of CultureScan™ in Change Initiatives
Implementing a CultureScan™ as part of any change initiative significantly increases the probability of success. Without a thorough understanding of culture, change efforts are akin to playing darts blindfolded. Culture is subconscious, influencing every aspect of organizational life. By mapping out this cultural landscape, organizations can identify barriers to implementing diversity management strategies and leverage behaviors that support sustainable progress.
CultureScan™ is a two to three-month process that involves the active participation of leaders and an internal culture team. This team, comprising diverse members from all organizational levels, provides invaluable insights. The bottom-up approach, supported by top-down leadership, enhances engagement and buy-in.
Data Collection and Analysis
The CultureScan™ process includes:
- Interviews with Senior Executives: To gain insights into leadership perspectives and strategic goals.
- Focus Groups: To gather input from various employee groups and understand different viewpoints.
- Surveys: To collect data on employee attitudes and perceptions.
- Archival Research: To review historical documents and understand the evolution of the organization’s culture.
The comprehensive data collected is analyzed to create targeted recommendations. These recommendations form the basis of a strategy to counter obstacles and reinforce behaviors that will drive change.
Leveraging Culture for Effective Diversity Management
Organizational culture is a key component of effective diversity management. A workplace culture that celebrates individual strengths and fosters inclusivity is essential for diversity initiatives to thrive. By understanding and influencing culture, organizations can remove barriers to diversity and inclusion, ensuring these efforts are not only implemented but ingrained into the organizational fabric.
CultureScan™ provides a roadmap for this journey. It helps organizations identify the cultural elements that support or hinder diversity management and develop strategies to enhance positive behaviors. This thorough understanding of culture is the first step in creating a truly inclusive workplace.
James O. Rodgers, The Diversity Coach™, has developed a revolutionary approach to understanding and leveraging organizational culture through the CultureScan™ process. This comprehensive assessment tool is essential for any change initiative, particularly in the realm of diversity management. By identifying and replacing creeping behaviors with leverage behaviors, organizations can adapt to new challenges and ensure sustained success.
Culture is the subconscious driver of organizational behavior, and understanding it is crucial for effective change management. The Diversity Coach™’s CultureScan™ process provides the insights needed to navigate this complex landscape, increasing the likelihood of successful change implementation. By investing in a thorough cultural assessment, organizations can triple their odds of success, creating a workplace where diversity is not just a goal but a fundamental part of the organizational culture.
The ability to adapt and thrive depends on understanding and influencing culture. The Diversity Coach™ offers a proven methodology to achieve this, helping organizations create inclusive, dynamic, and successful workplaces. As organizations continue to evolve, the principles and strategies provided by Dr. Rodgers will remain vital for achieving world-class results and maintaining a competitive edge.
