Despite the plethora of books written on organizational culture, it still seems to be the thing that people just can’t figure out. We often don’t know why we do or don’t have it and are unsure about how to get it. In Culture Code, Daniel Coyle takes a fresh perspective on this topic and lays out simple steps towards developing a healthy culture. He shares intriguing stories from his trips to visit Pixar, the San Antonio Spurs, the NAVY Seals, and more. From these experiences, Coyle identifies what makes great companies great. You will be inspired by Coyle’s stories and gain insight from his simple, but profound principles.
3 Quotes I Loved
“Belonging cues possess three basic qualities: 1.) Energy: They invest in the exchange that is occurring. 2.) Individualization: They treat the person as unique and valued. 3.) Future orientation: They signal the relationship will continue (p.20).”
“Exchanges of vulnerability, which we naturally tend to avoid are the pathway through which trusting cooperation is built (p.147).”
“The most effective listeners behave like trampolines. They aren’t passive sponges. They are active responders, absorbing what the other person gives, supporting them, and adding energy to help the conversation gain velocity and altitude (p.215).”
2 Ideas I Am Still Thinking On
Three Pillars Of A Healthy Culture: Coyle identifies three traits he found in the healthy organizations he visited. To create a healthy culture you need to build safety, share vulnerability, and establish purpose. Building safety is about how you can give signals of connection that generates bonds of belonging and identity. Sharing vulnerability explains how habits of mutual risk drive cooperation. And establish purpose tells how narratives create shared goals and values.
Proficiency And Creativity In Your Workplace: Coyle gives a simple framework to think through your organization. Every group skill can be sorted into two basic types: proficiency and creativity. Proficiency is about doing the same thing repeatedly with excellence, while creativity is about creating something out of nothing. Though most areas of your organization include a mixture of these two, it is important to identify places where one trait is predominant and organize your leadership accordingly (p.281).
1 Action Step I Am Taking
Establishing Purpose By Building Language: “You have priorities whether you name them or not. If you want to grow, you’d better name them, and you’d better name the behaviors that support them (p.281).” Now that my organization has identified our priorities, I am trying to establish signals that create engagement around those priorities. These signals are short, but memorable phrases that serve as plumblines to point us to our priorities. I am also working on how to make the phrases more visible in our meetings and throughout our day to create better engagement around these priorities.
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