Organisation culture according to Human Synergistics
What is an organisation culture?
The culture of an organisation is reflected in its norms and values, its traditions and what is expected from its people.
Although the dominant culture can be rather subtle and abstract, it is very much determinating for the activities within the organisation and the people's attitude. The activities and attitude can be positive and constructive, aimed at cooperation and achievements, or negative and undermining, aimed at conflict, dependancy or power.
Inventory according to Human Synergistics
The inventory represents the situation of an organisation at the time being. It aims at the way people think they should cooperate while functioning to meet their superior's expectations. The results you find on the 'clock' represent your opinions about the culture by means of 12 different styles of thinking in the organisation.
The clock is divided in 3 parts. The upper part (style 11 to 2) contains constructive styles aimed at providing in the need for satisfaction.
The styles in the lower 2 parts of the clock (style 3 to 10) are less effective and aimed at providing in the need for security. Styles 3 to 6 reflect defensive, passive interacions between people. Styles 7 to 10 show a defensive, aggressive behaviour which is strongly related to accomplishing the assignment and is in search of certainty.
To get a measurable quantity of an organisation culture, a number of people of the organisation fill in a questionnaire. This questionnaire contains different forms of behaviour for which everyone notes how much this kind of behaviour occurs. When the results come together, you get a clockdiagram with the average behaviour in the organisation.
 |
Here you see the result of a constructive organisation culture. Typical qualities of such a culture are:
|
If, on the other hand, you are dealing with defensive organisation culture, you get a picture as shown in the figure on the right. Typical behaviours in a defensive culture are:
|
 |
Life styles
In the same way as the culture of an organisation is mapped, the personal behaviour of a human being can also be mapped on a clockdiagram. This attitude determines how we think, how we behave; in short our 'way of being'. A lot of people consider a person's attitude as a stable matter. Often this is used as an alibi for not providing any coaching. However, it appears that this personal attitude is the most important engine for the effectivity of a person and the more outspoken along with the increase of responsibilty and the level in the organisation.
In drawing a LifeStyle Inventory (LSI), the attitude (not the personality) is comprehensively mapped. It is an expression, at that time being, of the way of thinking, motivation and way of acting of a person. The method is scientifically tested on reliability and validity.
LSI 1 (Life style Inventory 1) measures your personal thinking styles. These have a tremendous impact on your personal leadership styles and results.
There is also a direct link between this personal LSI 1 leaderhipprofile, on the one hand, and criterion 1 Leadership in the EFQM-model, on the other hand.
One of the areas to address in criterion part 1a of EFQM-model is the systematic personal development of leaders. A 360° feedback is one of the possible measuring and development tool. The instrument LSI 2 is a 360° feedback tool from Human Synergistics.
More detailed information of use of the Human Synergistics products together with the EFQM-model: see book Excellent (page 387-416: Relationship between the EFQM-model and the organisational culture)).
More information?
Reza Haij Salimi, Reza Haji Salimi is Area Manager for Human Synergistics products in Middle-East
