Your Organization's Culture- Part II- Heroes and Villains

In every organization, there are posters, flyers, videos, meetings, songs, and stories that present the culture in a manner that senior management deems appropriate. Quite often, this media blitz portrays an accurate representation of the organization's culture- the way it works and the way it communicates. But not always.

If you are new to an organization, or trying to really understand its culture, are there any shortcuts besides playing the trial and error game and taking 2 years to figure things out? There ARE some ways to shortcut the trial and error learning over time method.

One of the quickest ways to understand the true nature of a culture is to identify who the heroes and villains are, from the perspective of front line employees and senior management. A great source of this information is the break room lunch table, listening to comments before meetings begin, and reviewing company memos and newsletters.

Quite often, you can get most of this information simply by asking someone at the lunch table: "So who are the heroes in this organization? And why are they considered heroes? What do you think of them?"

If you hear stories of people who do a great job by doing the right thing, you can begin to feel good. If you hear about someone who gets great praise but is perceived by peers as cutting corners or focusing too much on politics, you can begin to think about who you need to build relationships with so you don't get unexpectedly caught up in politics. (NOTE: You don't have to "play" politics, but you have to understand that they do exist, and understand how they might impact your effectiveness or job satisfaction.)

Also beware if you hear stories of "great people" who are no longer with the organization. this could mean several things: 1- It could mean that there is a disconnect between the organization's leadership and the person you are talking to and/or the person who is no longer here. 2-It could mean that there is a disconnect between the values of the organization and your personal values. 3- It could mean that you are simply talking to a disgruntled employee who is looking for actions to criticize.

Pay attention to stories of villains in the organization as well. Are there people that management perceives as a waste of payroll? If so, then be sure you do not adopt the attitude or approach that this person utilizes. Or perhaps the villain is someone who plays the role of the enforcer, or internal auditor. Do they have open support from management, or are they simply tolerated?

In many organizations, there may be a "Queen Bee", or "King Bee", who works closely with a senior leader, and who has been with the organization for many years. These folks are typically neither heroes nor villains, but they have a wealth of information, and don't underestimate their influence either!

In short, it's OK, and recommended that you ask lots of questions, while still keeping an open mind and drawing your own conclusions.

Learning about an organization is enjoyable, and it is critical to your success!