Managing Organisational Culture through Communication in Not for Profit organisations

If you held up a large lens that allowed you to look at your organisation’s culture, what would you find? What would your colleagues’ behaviour, language and expectations say about your organisational culture? And if you found something you wanted to change, how would you go about it?

Culture is a word bandied around in many circles; biology and the arts to name only two. However when we talk about culture in an anthropological way, we are talking about a concept that is so powerful, so important to our lives and so often taken for granted.

Culture is how we make sense of our lives. It is a complex phenomenon that is heterogeneous, flexible and continually changing. Just as individuals and the broader systems in which we live are dynamic, constantly evolving and adapting to surrounding conditions, so does culture. Culture affects adaption to surroundings and is in turn affected by that change. Activities and symbols that reflect and celebrate culture, also work to sustain it.

When we apply the concept of culture to the places in which we work we can say that organisational culture is a pattern of basic assumptions that define how members should perceive, think and feel about problems. These assumptions have been invented, discovered and developed by the group through their experiences, and therefore the group sees them as valid i.e. they work. Significantly, the group considers these assumptions important enough to teach new members and hence the culture continues.

The organisational culture of any community organisation will determine how it reacts to new situations, learns from mistakes, perceives events as opportunities or threats and whether it is proactive or reactive. In an increasingly competitive not-for-profit landscape, an organisation needs a defined and strong culture that enables it to grow through adaption and innovation whilst maintaining a core sense of its self. This then needs to be communicated internally to the board and staff and externally to members, stakeholders and funding bodies.

Understanding the organisational culture that is alive and well in your organisations can be done in many ways. However a three-tiered model, which involves stripping away layers to reveal the core motivation, will be explained here. It is important to note that each layer is crucial to creating the overall picture; for only by understanding each layer will we be able to work to maintain or change it.

The first layer – the artefacts – is the material or non-material objects and patterns that intentionally or unintentionally communicate information about an organisation. The material objects include the logo and tag line, documents such as newsletters, annual reports, internal memos, brochures and other promotional collateral, organisational structure etc. The non-material objects include language, jargon, the stories told and retold to each other, how people socialise, joke with each other, the office layout etc. An observation of these aspects is important but their significance is only revealed when we dig a little deeper.

The second layer – the beliefs and values – or the rational and emotional motivation for what people do and why they do them, is getting closer to the heart of understanding organisational culture. Investigating culture at this level reveals how people communicate, explain and rationalise what they say and do as an organisation because beliefs and values provide justification. For example, if a disability organisation believes they advocate for all issues of people living with a disability, they will apply for and take funds for a wide range of applications. If a peak welfare group believes that education is the key to capacity building, they will design a free-to-attend education series. If a community organisation values the diversity of their clients, they will have their brochures translated.

The aspects of an organisation that can be seen here are the company ethos, philosophy, ethical and moral codes and attitudes. An organisation’s beliefs and values will also affect how the artefacts discussed above will be interpreted and communicated.

From these two layers it is sometimes possible to see a divide between the values espoused and the values held. For example; promotional information of an in-home respite service might espouse the importance they place on the client’s experience, however, the service has a two-year waiting list and believes that people will have to use them regardless of their client experience.

The third layer – basic underlying assumptions – are the beliefs, values and perceptions that are taken for granted. They are the implicit assumptions that actually guide behaviour, that tell members how to perceive, think and feel about things. This layer reveals the ‘truths’; the things so ingrained they have dropped out of awareness and are unconsciously taught through language, the use of stories, metaphors and by modelled behaviour. Basic assumptions might include notions that, as a volunteer, anything that is done as opposed to what was agreed to should be appreciated; clients should be grateful for the community service they receive regardless of the standard. Other assumptions include that community organisations are based on the servant leader model; that resources and information is easily and freely shared.

An experienced Communications Manager will be able to guide an organisation through a process of cultural discovery. The process can involve various methodologies such as observations, in-depth interviews with managers and staff, an all staff survey or member survey in which aspects of the organisation are rated for importance and by working side by side with employees to see how things are done.

Once an organisation is satisfied they understand their organisational culture, they need to set in place an organisational culture change management programme. What is central to the programme is communication, for communication is the tool through which change occurs.

As culture is invented and sustained through assumptions, beliefs, values, material and non-material objects, a programme of managing organisational culture involves looking at what of the above needs to changed, what needs to be strengthened and then devising a plan on how to act upon it.

Firstly, basic assumptions; if these need to be altered then we have to change the stories that are told about the company internally and externally. There is no greater source of influence in an organisation than the leaders’ communication – both verbal and non-verbal. The CEOs, Directors and Senior Managers need to have the same understanding of the company’s assumptions and work together on the messages that they give. Internal newsletters, blogs, department meetings, media releases and public presentations by the leaders need to be consistent in their messaging, both in language and behaviour.

When the basic assumptions are seen to be filtering through to the staff group, examples of it need to be highlighted and championed in the appropriate fashion i.e. staff awards, presentations at staff social gatherings, profiles in newsletters etc.

The core values of the organisation need to be first articulated. This can result from a strategic planning day, staff surveys, focus groups, discussions with staff etc. Actually, the more staff members are consulted during the discerning of organisational values, the better. The values then need to be communicated widely and activated. For example, if one of your organisational values is bringing technological innovation to the community sector, then staff and members need to know what constitutes ‘innovation’ in that area and how they will be acknowledged and rewarded for initiating it. This may involve hosting information sessions on technology, making links with computer and IT companies to exchange information and understanding, establishing a technology position on the board, having an annual award presented at the AGM, championing services who are advancing the lives of others using technology through newsletters, website etc.

The beliefs that shape behaviour also need to be addressed. The results of the staff and or member survey need to be published and responded to honestly and openly by management. For example, if one of the existing beliefs of the company is that green issues cost a lot of money to instigate and therefore are unattainable by the organisation and the organisation wants to change this, then the leaders of the organisation need to talk to staff about why the issue is so important, allow staff the time and resources to research what can be done without costing a lot of money, and how everyone has an important role to play in it.

The material and non-material objects need to be systemically changed and adapted to reflect the desired organisational culture. If your organisation is about being non-judgemental, then the website, business cards, logo and tagline – all your external communication products, and internal polices need to reflect the culture you desire.

It is important to note that the consistency of your communication – internal and external, verbal and non-verbal, unconscious and conscious is vital. The CEO’s tone of voice is more powerful in communicating the value placed on respect in the workplace than a one-page memo to all staff. The way a manager talks about a client at after work drinks on a Friday is more influential than publishing client relationship values in a staff newsletter.

Managing organisational culture is not easy or instant or something you do once. It is a constant process of change and development, and the best investment you will ever make to your organisation. This is because the culture will determine how the organisation deals with change and competition, growth and tight funding times, how it will maintain staff loyalty and orientate new staff.

Communication is the key to managing organisational culture for it is the medium of change and the pacifier to the anxiety of change, the way we know we need to change and the way we know we have.

Zadro is a specialist in creating tailored organisational culture plans for Associations and Not For Profit organisations and associations. Find out more: www.zadroagency.com.au