More Than Symptoms: How a Systems Approach to Culture Led Me to the TEDx Stage
“We can battle the sea, or we can embrace it. Sometimes she will be sweet and sometimes mean as a snake. We must embrace the experience and trust we will get through it.”
—Michelle Segrest
My fascination with the interconnectedness of systems began early in my career. As a student volunteering at a battered women's shelter and a diabetic clinic, I saw how individual struggles were often rooted in complex societal issues. Bruised faces, obesity, and fatigue weren't just isolated symptoms; they were threads woven into a larger tapestry of poverty, inequality, and systemic dysfunction.
This realization ignited a passion for understanding and addressing the root causes of problems, rather than simply treating the symptoms. I began to see the world through a systems thinking lens, recognizing that everything is connected and that seemingly small changes can have ripple effects throughout an entire system.
This perspective shaped my approach to organizational culture. I quickly realized that culture isn't just about perks and parties; it is part of the business strategy. When done well, it is operationalized into the core behaviors, practices, and processes of running a business. Culture is how we work with each other. It is exemplified in every conversation we have, every decision we make, and every meeting we run.
The word "culture" itself derives from the Latin word "colere," meaning "to tend to the earth and grow." This etymology suggests that culture is an active, ongoing process of cultivation and nurturing. In essence, culture is a verb, not a noun. It's something we actively create and recreate through our daily interactions, decisions, and actions. It's not about having a list of values on the wall; it's about living those values in every aspect of our work.
The worst way to look at culture beyond the games is that culture is owned by HR. Leading and reinforcing culture is not HR’s job—it is everyone’s job.
Yet, we often approach culture in a fragmented way, focusing on isolated elements like creating a list of values, rolling out engagement surveys, (sigh) making sure there are plenty of ping-pong tables in an office, or waiting for HR to roll out the culture strategy. Leading and reinforcing culture is not HR’s job—it is everyone’s job. This approach views culture as a collection of individual components, separate from the business strategy. It also fails to recognize that it's a dynamic system where all the parts are active and need to work together. Culture is a dynamic ecosystem with elements that are interconnected and interdependent. So, rather than viewing culture as a set of isolated items, we need to adopt a systems thinking approach. We need to see the connections between values, behaviors, processes, and practices, and understand how they work together to shape the overall culture of an organization. I call this ReCulturing.
“Often, in order to stay alive, we have to unmake a living in order to get back to living the life we wanted for ourselves. It is this cycle of making, disintegration, and remaking that is the hallmark of meaningful and creative work.” —David Whyte
Culture's impact in the workplace has been slow to materialize due to a fragmented approach. It's often treated as an afterthought, not woven into the very fabric of how an organization operates. But what if we shifted our mindset and approached culture with the same rigor and intentionality as we do our business strategies?
Just as strategies must adapt to changing markets, technologies, and customer needs, so too must culture. The pandemic, automation, and the rise of remote work have fundamentally changed how we work. Watercooler conversations have gone virtual, and our understanding of what constitutes a "normal" workplace is being redefined. Yet, the importance of culture hasn't diminished; it's become even more critical.
ReCulturing is about embracing this evolution. It's about continuously evaluating what's working and what's not, and making adjustments as needed. Just as we wouldn't cling to an outdated strategy, we shouldn't cling to behaviors, practices, and processes that no longer serve us.
As one of my favorite poets, David Whyte eloquently puts it, meaningful work involves a cycle of making, disintegration, and remaking. ReCulturing allows us to "disintegrate" outdated norms and "remake" our culture to align with the ever-evolving nature of work. It's about building a culture that is adaptable, resilient, and empowering, one that supports both the organization's goals and the well-being of its people.
The world—as with the wind when we’re sailing—can appear indifferent, or even downright disruptive to our intentions. ReCulturing means we embrace these shifts in the wind and are constantly mindful of what may benefit from adjusting in the system. We adjust our sails while being attentive to obstacles and the state of the crew, arriving safely at new ports. And be ready to sail again tomorrow.
And that is what led to my TEDx talk. In this talk, I share sailing stories and highlight the importance of designing a culture through values-based behaviors, processes, and practices. Healthy cultures start with each one of us.
Please like and comment on YouTube and also here!
Happy Viewing, ReCulturing, and Sailing.