(Subtitle: And what would we do if we could?)
I was sent an article by a client recently (thank you Patti) that still has me thinking.
It was written by Shawn Parr for Fast Company and titled “Culture Eats Strategy for Lunch” http://www.fastcompany.com/1810674/culture-eats-strategy-for-lunch. It’s a terrific evaluation and description of what it takes to develop culture. Workplace culture that is. And further, a happy, vibrant, robust, thriving (someone stop me…) workplace culture. Parr illustrates the tangible benefits that can be derived (or lost) through culture-building by referring to brands who have triumphed in this arena (think Whole Foods and Zappos) to those who were conversely destroyed by it (think American Apparel). It is an inspiring read, and I’m buying into nearly everything he has to say, except there’s one small element that I can’t resolve neatly … can an organization ever be sufficiently aware of its own culture while living in it?
Let me explain (and digress a bit). We’ve all experienced that phenomenon of entering someone else’s home and taking in an immediate scent – a sort of olfactory tapestry of who they are – what they cook, their perfume, their animals, you name it – all the things that constitute a life and infuse a dwelling. As much as this awareness is evident to the outsider, it is rarely, if ever, perceived by the insider.
So as a consultant who is brought into the workplace to initiate change, I’m intrigued. We’re usually told by many perspective clients that they are “ready” to change their culture, to become more skilled in their fundraising, and yes, while they know it isn’t embraced today, it needs to be – yesterday in fact. Only to find, months down the line, that they’ve honestly underestimated the internal resistance. The complexity. The apathy. The deep, residual baggage sitting in the lobby. The culture they were unaware existed and so were unprepared to address.
And others flourish. When we challenge their perceptions of ease, slow down their need for fast paced results, and tell them that their culture may not be as ready as they’d like, they pause. They are willing to admit to what they don’t know; they are eager to participate and learn right along with us; and they are able to accept and be patient as we immerse ourselves in their workplace home – filled with an amalgamation of history, people, opinions and perspectives.
That elusive, and often imperceptible, scent of culture.
aly's blog 
Great post, Aly! I wonder if sometimes organizations know their culture has to change, but the problem comes when change starts to take place, and some of the key leaders involved would rather “go back to what we’ve always done.” It’s safer, easier and way less messy than changing the overall organizational culture. I’d be curious about ways you’ve found to make lasting change stick. Maybe, as you suggest, it’s about pausing and taking a breath before moving through change at a rapid pace. Often the stakes are so high for immediate change, because the organization has waited until a crisis hits to ask for help. Then, the change might be a matter of life and death for the organization.