Sticks and Stones are your Organizational Bones

Organization and Culture Matter

I started thinking about this after an interesting discussion that I had with Kris Dunn when we got together for coffee at Starbucks in Birmingham, Alabama last week.  Kris and I were  chatting about the ability of HR practitioners to implement programs that really work, and what type of work environment is required for them to work.

Now and Then

Two main views emerged.

One can be stated as:

If you have the perfect culture,  you should be poised to implement systems such as an advanced performance assessment process that have the best chance to optimize organizational performance over the long haul.   If such efforts don’t succeed within a successful culture, maybe these types of programs can’t be successfully implemented at all.

The other view is:

Culture is an important factor.  The stronger and more successful the culture, the better the chance for a successful implementation.  But however strong the culture and the system may be, these programs will always be subject to the whims and vagaries of the workplace culture.  No matter how perfectly designed a system may be, other factors internal or external to the organization are going to force changes to your system eventually.

Neither view is right or wrong.  Neither view is mutually exclusive.  I believe they need to be considered in tandem.  How do we go about doing that?

Organizational Sticks and Stones

I may be slightly stretching a metaphor, but go with me on this.

When a new structure is being built, one of the first steps is to lay a foundation.   Foundations are normally built from strong materials such as stone to ensure the stability of the structure that stands upon the foundation, and to ensure that the structural framework will be a lasting one.  The values and principles of any organization are the foundation upon which everything else about that are organization is built.  Let’s think of this foundation of principles and values as the metaphorical stones upon which the organization is built.

Going back to the building process, once the foundation has been completed, it is very common to find everything laid on top of that firm foundation is built from less sturdy materials such as wood, plastic and glass.  These materials are more flexible to work with, and more easily replaced if there is a need to change the structure.  All the policies, programs and systems that management puts into place to make the organization go are the building materials that define a company and make it go.  Let’s think of these programs and systems as the metaphorical sticks that make the organization function.

Withstanding the Winds of Change

As HR practitioners, we are often trying to put programs (Sticks) into place that are designed to improve the organization and make the business more successful.   However, it is clear that there are many factors that can impact the long term success of any system or program implementation

These can include:

• business conditions
• Cults of personality within the organization
• Perceived lack of value in the program by top leaders
• Changes within the the organization

There are many others.   The point here is that things beyond the control of the HR function will impact not only the successful implementation, but the long term viability of any strategic initiative (Structure) you may put in place.

Those organizations with a strong culture driven by values and principle (Stones) stand the best chance of long term success.  Well designed systems and programs (Sticks) will ensure that the organizational structure stays strong and viable.

Don’t let your company become  a house of cards, waiting to fall down in the first strong wind or disturbance!

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