1.5 - About University

H OW TO USE THIS LEADERSHIP TOOL“Do we have corporate cultures that are anchors on change? Or cultures that enable us to adaptto the changing environment?”—John Kotter, RETHINKING THE FUTUREOrganizational culture can be devilishly difficult to clarify. People working inside the organization,like fish in water, will have a hard time understanding their own assumptions. Peopleexternal to the organization will bring their own cultural assumptions to bear. All culture gurusremark on how difficult it is to change a culture. Yet all is not lost: Cultures do change.What, then, can be done, particularly in a brief handbook like this? One simple and effectivemethod is to start the process in an entertaining but insightful way. The process describedhere is best done in a group setting. (One aspect of the emerging leadership culture is the skillof leading groups!)WEB WORKSHEET1. In a large-group setting, explain why you are doing this and establish trust. It can bevery threatening to surface cultural assumptions, the values of leaders, and unspokenassumptions. On the other hand, if the trusting and nondefensive conditions are established,people will take great glee in surfacing assumptions and contradictions that getin the way of effectiveness. Be careful! If management has not been open in the past,they may take the brunt of the implied criticism. [☛10.6 Group Leader Skills, 10.7Getting Participation]2. Have groups of 5 to 8 discuss and list on flip chart pages “What’s okay” and “What’snot okay” to do around here. Encourage and protect openness. Make the groups largeenough and diverse enough so no one person can be fingered. Here is a partial exampleof a group report. [☛ 10.9 Visible Information]What is okayto do or think around here− to come late for meetings− to speak openly about how to improve your own job− to present your ideas in a logical way− to propose cost-cuttingetc.What is not okayto do or think around here− to end-run your immediate manager− to challenge management− to raise emotional issues− to deal with conflict openly− to propose spending to make more moneyetc.In the large group, have the subgroups report out. Remind the group that what isreported is okay and not a reflection on any individual. Have the group look for commonaltiesand themes; record these on a flip chart.3. Depending on your purpose and needs and the level of openness and trust established,you may wish to go the next step in the group. Remind people what direction yourorganization and group are trying to take. Then ask the groups to complete a secondsession. “If that is the direction we want to take, what do we need to start, stop, andcontinue doing around here?” Here is a partial example report.SECTION 4 TOOLS FOR DESIGNING PRODUCTIVE PROCESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS 119