After more than 4000 private phone calls were unlawfully hacked by News of the World reports (causing a scandal that shut down the high-circulation, highly profitable newspaper) journalist Carl Bernstein quoted an employee who said that media baron Rupert Murdoch "invented and established this Culture in the newsroom, where you do whatever it takes to get the story, take no prisoners, destroy the competition, and the end will justify the means. "
The Atlanta (Georgia) Public School system is reeling from a two-year investigation providing 178 professional educators changed or otherwise affected children's answers on mandatory state tests, with an eye to inflate individual school results. "We had a culture of cheating," admitted one principal.
Closer to home, one of my clients said, "I do not have a choice – I HAVE to check email through my vacation. In our culture, that's what we do." And across the country, a friend assured, "I really need a new job – I'm so sick of this culture."
That damn workplace culture. When it's good, things seem to click. When it's bad, though, it generates actions that feel wasteful (at best) and even unethical (at worst).
Well, I have a secret to tell you. And you're not gonna like it, especially if you've gotten used to using "the culture" as an excuse for the way things are at work – a way to lay blame for the things you do not like doing, thinking, Or believing; But do, think and believe anyway.
Here's the secret. It's not about "the culture." It is about you.
Me? Huhh ?? How could that be? You do not understand! I do not make the rules – I just work here!
Exactly. You work here. You. Not some mysterious "they," as in "they have to change the culture or else!" You and your everyday actions are the culture. What you do, say, and think matters, more than you may realize.
Here's why. In any organization, "culture" is just the collection of values, stories, ideas and behaviors that its people share. When you share in the things you do not like, you're adding more fuel to the fire – you reinforcement the culture you wish would change.
So a "bad" culture is partly your fault. Sorry.
Oh, do not pretend to be surprised, or even offended. Of course you know how to do the right things, the right way. You're just scared of what will happen if you do. That's fair. Work can be a scary place these days (or maybe, the scary part is worrying about the absence of work).
But I know you're better than your fears. So instead of blaming "the culture" for what you do not like in your workplace, why not try something new? For example:
• A culture of checking Blackberries during in person meetings sticks – until you stop doing it and ask your collections to stop, too.
• A culture of letting new hires "sink or swim" stays in place – until you, tired of seeing them sink too soon, decide to invest time in onboarding and mentoring, even if it's not your official job.
• A culture of always focusing on the doom and gloom pervades – until you start telling more stories about all that's going great – and even smiling more!
Culture starts to change when you start to change. Plus, peer pressure still works (you high-falutin 'types are calling it "social proof"). When you stop tolerating or feeding the most undesirable cultural aspects of your workplace (also known as "the crap"), others will follow. And others will follow them. And the change continues.
What are the elements of your "culture" that you wish were different? Consider these:
• When you check your Blackberry at 2 am, is it the culture, or is it you?
• When you erase students' wrong test answers to increase your school's scores, is it the culture, or is it you?
• When you stretch uncomfortably towards the limits of ethics or law, is it the culture, or is it you?
• When you keep grumbling about attending the hour-long weekly meeting, even though there's only about 15 minutes of valuable content, is it the culture, or …
• When you walk in the office without greeting the receptionist or anyone you see along the way and then wonder why your workplace is not friendlier … well, you know the question.
You have the power to change your culture at work. It may not be easy. It may not be risk-free. But I know every red cap wearing, superpower-bringing person like you can do it. Maybe you will not change the whole company overnight, but I guarantee you'll change the experience of one of the most important people you'll ever know – and that's you.