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Pete SayersUniversity of BradfordMay 2009

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Aims -

To investigate the relationship between culture and values

To present the Human Synergistics Organisational Culture Inventory

To contrast the culture Bradford has & the values Bradford espouses

To map the gap Between actual culture and espoused

values To build the bridge

The plan to get us from where we are now to where we want to be

To cross the bridge Action to be taken

First.........

Artefacts Customs Beliefs

A three layer cake

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Ray French - Cross Cultural Management in Work Organisations CIPD 2007

Cultural influences on groups –

Heritage – the extent to which people share a common heritage

Education – the extent to which a common level of education determines attitudes and behaviour

Organisation – the norms and values of the workplace

Human Synergistics Organisational Culture Inventory (based on work on motivation by McClelland)

maps behaviours & values in organisations Spiral Dynamics (Beck & Cowan)

maps changes in thinking over time as societies develop

National / International Cultures (Hofstede, Trompenaars)

Maps differences in thinking & behaviour between people from different parts of the world

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Definition: ”The total range of behaviours,

ethics and values that are transmitted, practised and reinforced by members of the organisation.”

EFQM Excellence Model

It’s easier to feel and respond to the culture than to describe it.

First you have to understand what culture is, and how to describe it objectively.

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The Human Synergistics produces a map of the culture in terms of 12 values (styles of behaviour), and the extent to which people perceive their presence at the University

1. Humanistic (encouraging) 2. Affiliative3. Approval4. Conventional 5. Dependent6. Avoidance7. Oppositional8. Power9. Competitive10. Perfectionistic11. Achievement12. Self-actualising

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The measure we are using from Human Synergistics produces a map of the culture in terms of 12 values (styles of behaviour), and the extent to which people perceive their presence at the University

6 are task focused 6 are people focused

task people

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The measure we are using from Human Synergistics produces a map of the culture in terms of 12 values (styles of behaviour), and the extent to which people perceive their presence at the University

4 are assertive, constructive styles

4 are aggressive, defensive styles 4 are passive, defensive styles

assertive, constructive

aggressive,

defensive

passive,

defensive

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Behaviour continuum

Aggressive = styles of behaviour intended primarily to meet one’s own needs. Aggressive styles get things done but often at the expense of others.

Passive = styles of behaviour intended primarily to meet the needs of others. Passive styles provide safe environments through subordination of self.

Assertive, constructive styles come in the middle of this continuum, achieving a balance of needs, based on an ”I’m OK; you’re OK” belief.

Aggressive Passive

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12

12

3

567

89

1011

4

Humanistic encouraging

Affiliative

Approval

Conventional

Dependent

AvoidanceOppositional

Power

Competitive

Perfectionistic

Achievement

Self-actualising

Aggressive, defensive

Passive, defensive

ConstructiveTASK ORIENTED

PEOPLE ORIENTED

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12

12

3

567

89

1011

4

Humanistic encouraging

Affiliative

Approval

Conventional

Dependent

AvoidanceOppositional

Power

Competitive

Perfectionistic

Achievement

Self-actualising

conservative, bureaucratic, rulebound, new ideas suppressed, resistent to change

pleasing others, polite veneer,conflict suppressed, agreement expected

people are open, sensitive to others, participation, personal development, mentoring, coaching

new challenges, innovation, ownership,

receptive to change, pride,

enjoyment co-operation, teamworking, open and friendly

relationships

top-down control, centralised, non-participative, inflexible, initiatives not allowed, obediencepunish failure, fail to

reward success, blaming, responsibility not taken, keep your head down

open conflict, confrontation, negativism rewarded,

members critical of each other and ideas, playing

devil’s advocate

status, authority, control, non-participative

Internal win-lose framework, lower levels of co-operation

hard work, effort, quantity input (quality output), keeping track of detail

continuous performance improvement, challenging goals, energy, enthusiasm, quality input (quantity output)

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N=20

Participants from People Development’s Postgraduate Certificate in Leadership & Management Development in Higher Education

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Human Synergistics benchmark

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18

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N = 169

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N = 122

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Culture is the enabler. Vision is where you want

to be in ”n” years time The strategic plan is what

will take the organisation from where it is now to where you want it to be.

A personal development plan (PDP) is what will take you, as an individual, from where you are now to where you want to be

A set of values is a way of using the organisation’s everyday language to define the culture that you aspire to.

A set of values indicates the type of leadership behaviour that is judged necessary to achieve the vision.

The challenge is turning aspirational values into everyday behaviour

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Northwest Missouri State University’s Cultural Core Values We focus on our students and stakeholders. We care about each other. We are a learning organization, continually improving our university and ourselves. We collaborate and work together to accomplish our goals. We master the details of what we do. We are open and ethical. We are leaders in our field.

University of Bradford’s Values

From the 2004-9

Corporate Strategy

The list of values as currently proposed for the 2009-14 Corporate Strategy

By ensuring our values are considered in every aspect of the way we work we will aim to be, and continue to be:

  Inclusive – value, harness and utilise the

diversity of our students and staff and celebrate the benefits they bring.

Ethical –be open, transparent and respectful, protect freedom of thought and be a force for social change.

Reflective –be a learning organisation, with ambition that fosters curiosity, enquiry and innovation.

Supportive –nurture a learning and working environment based upon principles of self respect, tolerance and support.

Adaptable –be flexible and responsive in our working practices and seek to work effectively with others

Sustainable - seek to be world class and embed sustainable development and practice in everything we do.

The Challenge:

The implications of a set of values for the behaviour of those showing leadership throughout the organisation

Human SynergisticsIdeal Leadership

Circumplex

Friendly, Accepts others

valuesRelies on own

judgementForgiving

Not bound by policyAgreeable

Able to bend the rules when necessary

Not upset by change

TactfulDoes not depend on others for

ideasLikes responsibility

Capable of taking chargeDoes not procrastinateIs proactive in problem solving

ConfidentWilling to take risks

Likely to explore alternatives

The organisational culture survey enables you to map the gap between the ideal and actual culture.

The Lifestyles survey of individual leadership style enables you to see the difference between the style used by a manager and the organisational culture

Ideal culture

Actual culture

Self perception of leadership style

Others’ perception of leadership style

Gap?

Gap? Gap?

Gap?

And now

This model explains cultural difference as an evolutionary process of human development.

Organisations (from countries to companies) can find themselves at a location on the spiral, and also evolve through change and development.

Individuals, too, can be seen to develop along the spiral as they grow.

The spiral is a continuum represented spacially in two dimensions – evolution through time is one dimension, the other is the individual (expressive)/ group (collective) dimension.

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Beck & Cowan’s terms for the various stages in the spiral

People have a way of thinking and viewing the

world that can be located at

different points on the spiral depending on

circumstances.

Nations or organisations have a culture that spreads

along the spiral and may cover a

number of ”colours”.

Universalism versus particularism (rules versus relationships)

Collectivism versus individualism (the group versus the individual)

Neutral versus emotional (the range of feelings expressed)

Diffuse versus specific (the range of involvement)

Achievement versus ascription (how status is accorded)

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Trompenaars got his data from working with

managers in a variety of

international businesses.

He asked them to answer specific

questions designed to highlight the

approaches of different national

groups + insights into how these dimensions affect people’s view of

status, time and their place in nature

An ethical dilemma

How would you answer?From Trompenaars

”Riding the Waves of Culture”

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Universal versus

Particular

Collectivism versus

individualism

Trompenaars – example 2

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