The Culture Code

THE CULTURE CODE by Daniel Coyle

Why do certain organizations become greater than the sum of their parts while other groups fall short? This question has plagued the business world for centuries. Many companies have attempted to solve the problem by hiring experienced employees, enforcing strict performance standards, or taking direct control of projects. Unfortunately, none of these produce consistent results. While the sills of individual team members have obvious implications in the workplace, they are not indicators of success.

The solution to the problem rests not in the intellect of experience of your team, but rather in their ability to work together as a unit. Thing of group culture like a machine. If all the cogs are intricate but don’t operate with the other cogs, the machine won’t run. You’re left with an expensive, but useless piece of junk. On the other hand, if all the cogs operate smoothly with one another, the machine runs efficiently, even if some of the cogs aren’t as developed as the others.

Teams that excel beyond the skill sets of education of their individual team members develop strong internal cultures that promote selfless behavior and experimental thinking. The establishment of this culture depends upon the development of three foundational concepts: SAFETY (you belong here), VULNERABILITY (you can take risks), and PURPOSE (you are here for a reason).

SAFETY
Open and honest communication are pinnacle of a “safe work environment”. In a safe work environment, employees are willing and able to speak out, regardless of the hierarchy of the company. Belonging Cues relating to connection, future and security create a feeling of safety and comfort within the workplace. Safety does not imply niceness. Sometimes, courtesy must be put aside to allow for direct, unadulterated feedback. However, in a safe work environment, this bluntness comes from a place of care and genuine desire to develop success.

VULNERABILITY
Once a team feels like a connected unit, team members must feel comfortable showing vulnerability. Vulnerability, or the exposure of personal weakness followed by a call for help or support, is the cornerstone of teamwork in the workplace. This develops a collective sense of trust: We can show the areas where we struggle and help strengthen each other. Vulnerability requires humility. All team members (but leaders in particular) must be willing to admit when they’ve made mistakes. It sends a message: I am not perfect, and I know that your feedback can help me.

Three Tools of Vulnerability:

1. Using Notifications. Notifications are quick bursts of communication in which information is shared. They are observations, not commands, and provide context through which the team may operate more efficiently. They remove the “fluff” from a conversation and focus solely on the task at hand.
2. The Vulnerability Loop is the exchange of vulnerability between two or more parties. This has several steps:

• Person 1 expresses vulnerability
• Person 2 recognizes Person 1’s expression.
• Person 2 responds by expressing their own vulnerability.
• Person 1 recognizes Person 2’s vulnerability.
• A new precedent is set, and the trust between both parties becomes stronger.

1. Active Listening forces the listener to put their ego aside and create an environment in which vulnerability can be expressed. While they may speak up occasionally to ask a clarifying question or offer guidance, good listeners keep their focus on the other person.

PURPOSE
Once a cohesive group feels as though it can take risks and make decisions, it must focus on its collective energy towards a
shared purpose. Purpose this the cornerstone of decision making in the workplace. A clear purpose allows for consistent
decision making, effective prioritizing, and elevated performance through interaction. High purpose environments are spaces in
which the mission of a company drives the actions of team members and team members make choices based upon future
goals.