4 Signs of Culture

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One of the most common questions people ask about culture is: How do you know if you have a good one or bad? 

What are the telltale signs? 

Before any culture can take shape, there are fundamental beliefs that need to be addressed and understood.

The first is to make everyone understand the difference between loyalty and devotion. When people are loyal, they speak the truth. When people are devoted, they tell you want you want to hear. Great cultures need the truth. 

The second, and perhaps the most important, is to have everyone understand the difference between accountability and responsibility. When we are accountable, we do what we are told. We have a check list of items to perform, we act on those each day without a sense of ownership. When we are responsible, we fix the problem without being told, we are “all-in” with great pride for our work. Assuming responsibility instead of accountability allows cultures to grow.

The third core principle is to understand the difference between being on the same page and being aligned as an organization. When teams are on the same page, they wait for the results to decide how they want to proceed. If all goes well, we stay together. The first bump in the road, everyone scatters. Their culture is judged culture by wins. Being align means the process dictates the culture. Everyone believes the process is more important than the result. Champions behave like champions before the game is played. Nothing deters organizations that have alignment. 

The final important item is there can only be one voice, one messenger, one spokesperson. The messaging must be consistent and match the core principles of the organization. For example, after a tough home loss against the Broncos, New York Jets Coach Robert Saleh went to the podium to address the team’s penalties and offer an explanation for the loss. Saleh called the team out in his press conference for committing five false start penalties.

"We gotta figure it out, whether or not we’re good enough - or ready to handle all of the cadence," he said. 

Later, his star quarterback Aaron Rodgers was asked about the penalties and Saleh’s reaction.

“That’s one way to do it. The other way is hold them accountable," Rodgers said. 

Two different views, two different messages, which indicate an absence of culture. 

Cultures impact humans, meaning they are controlled by human behavior. If a leader doesn’t establish these four critical components, the chances of having a great culture are non-existent. 

For any outside observer, it’s painfully clear to see organizations that have established the four foundational blocks and those that have not.

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