Companies and organizations have been talking about culture fit and culture transformation for years but what is “culture” and why is it important?
In today’s diverse and interconnected world, working with individuals from various backgrounds is becoming the norm but we still are a long way to go to fully understand and embrace the positive impact of cultural transformation in our society and the workplace. Shifts in demographics – the 2020 Census revealed a 276% increase among the multiracial population growing from 9 million people in 2010 to 33.8 million people in 2020, and technology is driving rapid transformation in the workplace and beyond. However, some benefits of video conferences, especially when the topic is cultural sensitivity and awareness, are allowing people to be more outspoken, share personal stories, and perhaps feel less judged by a large crowd.
Culture is at the Center of Innovation
In today’s global economy and interconnected world, working with individuals from diverse backgrounds is becoming the key to creating a process that allows and empowers an internal culture of powerful and authentic personal brands -alongside developing a strong company’s brand. It’s imperative to develop an integrated approach to building confidence, and authentic personal brands for every member of the company, from C-suite executives to new employees and emerging leaders. Innovation and transformation come from understanding and embracing a plurality of voices and experiences:
- Encourage diverse voices to participate in the creative processes
- Increase diversity representation in the boardroom and C-suite
- Have a true representation of your consumer in the room
- Attract an energetic workforce, increase productivity and inclusiveness
Developing a Sustainable Process for Cultural Leadership
To achieve a sustainable and organic process, companies must prioritize a process to develop people’s key strengths and create channels for open, non-biased communications allowing every team member to develop connections, confidence, and visibility across all levels of leadership. Internal programs should provide education and training on culturally appropriate communication which includes nonverbal cultural and business etiquette aligned with the company’s core values and global business operations. Analyze linguistic and cultural nuances as barriers and strengths.
I remember back in the days when I was working as an Architect on the West Coast, during a team meeting a Sr. Architect called a Jr. Architect a “subordinate”, both individuals were from different countries and the term “subordinate” had completely different meaning for each which created tensions and frictions for the team. To fix the problem, one of the executives asked everyone for a definition of “subordinate” and it was a beautiful teaching moment enforced by the power of cultural awareness and mutual respect.
Companies that embrace people’s differences can benefit from not only increasing attraction and retention of talent but also spark innovation, a better understanding of consumer behavior, and gaining competitive advantage. If the pandemic has taught us anything is that companies have to be ready to adapt to unpredictable times and being innovative and culture-centric has to be a top priority.
If you would like to discuss how cultural transformation can impact the strategic direction and growth of your business, please fill out a contact form.