Who shapes culture: top-down or bottom up? That was the topic of discussion for February’s Culture Matters conversation held February 17, 2023.

Of course, we all agreed the answer is, "Both!" But, it goes deeper than that.

The "top" is responsible for…

• Setting policy

• Discerning and sharing the vision

• Behaving as role models for the culture it wants to create

• Holding itself and others accountable

The "bottom" needs to live the culture and hold each other accountable.

It's not really about the level so much as about the people.

It's more about the power structure than the job structure. Leaders at the top are often too out of touch or weak to model or enforce the culture. Yet, influencers in the middle and lower levels can be the real company leaders who make or break any big changes.

A few folks shared examples of when a coworker went out on leave, and the whole culture changed for the better in their absence. Several issues were exposed when that happened:

⬛ Inconsistent expectations. Why did that person get away with being so contradictory to the culture? One example was a business development person. He had contacts in a key area in which the company was trying to grow, so apparently, that meant he could belittle his coworkers. Letting people get away with behavior contrary to the culture because they might bring in revenue damaged trust in management.

⬛ Weak management. Trust was diminished by everyone who saw how the one coworker was able to treat people. Additionally, people had spoken to their immediate supervisor about the coworker, but all they were given was lame advice to “buck up.” The disruptive coworker was never given feedback or held accountable to behave in alignment with the culture.

⬛ Ineffective HR. People had complained to HR too. By the time people turn to HR, an issue has been going on a long time and solutions have been attempted. When HR does not talk with the manager or employee involved, they further support the disparate culture. Once that happens, culture confusion cuts across the organization.

On the other hand, there were examples of great role models shared too.

One example was a telecom company CEO who visited the call center to learn directly from the people about their issues. He did not go to listen to customer calls. He went to hear from the employees about their needs. The call center leaders encouraged the conversations, took notes, and helped expedite the solutions.

What a far cry to the days of when the CEO’s visit would include days of preparation of phoniness, like measuring to be sure the blinds were exactly one foot above the ledge.

Cultures will adapt and evolve based on how they are treated. Companies who treat their cultures like the strategic assets they are will be able to adapt, evolve, and innovate better and faster. Their people will be happier too. That’s why VCG does the work we do! If you need help in this area, check out our Culture Services and give us a call.