How Would You Define Your Company's Culture?

I asked this question during several job interviews last year. The problem with that question is that I did not clearly understand how to define "culture." Based on the responses I received, it was evident that others may not have had a clear understanding either.

What is Culture?

After doing a lot of research, the simplest explanation I could come up with is culture is HOW we do things as a group. It is how we talk, how we make decisions, how we interact, and how we take action.

In my opinion, culture is NOT a carefully planned list of values. That is not to say defining your organization's values is not necessary. Doing so is essential if you are going to create a strong culture. However, your entire organization (or at least most) must actively apply those values for them to be part of your culture.

I also believe that culture is also NOT a future goal. It is how your organization works right now. We all know that cultures can change for better or worse. While the entire group defines the culture, we each contribute to that culture for better or worse.

Question for Reflection

Since we contribute to our company's culture, we should regularly ask ourselves: "How am I contributing to my company's culture? What positive contributions am I making that I can continue? What negative things am I doing that I can change?"