Your True Culture is Showing

Ouch! The Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields made an embarrassing, revealing error when it posted an “employment listing that said it was seeking a director who would work not only to attract a more diverse audience but to maintain its “traditional, core, white art audience.”” (NYTimes) What struck me when I read the news was that the incident, while certainly a huge mistake, wasn’t simply poor judgement or an overlooked communications error. Instead, it was a truth telling moment about the culture of the organization: my first thought was, “your true culture is showing.”

We all make mistakes. In my former life as a raft guide, we had a saying that if you hadn’t flipped a raft, you hadn’t been guiding long enough. Leaders and organizations that haven’t yet flipped a raft - have not felt the sting of an embarrassing misstep that causes pain or discomfort to others – likely haven’t been around very long. 

There are two diverging paths when an event like this occurs: deny the origin of the error and try to explain it away or take ownership of the root of the blunder and claim it as truth – part of who you are as an organization – your culture. It’s in these moments of discomfort, embarrassment, pain, ugliness that we see deep into our cultural souls and come face-to-face with the racism and other forms of toxicity that reside there, covered up but slowly seeping their influence into our statements and actions. The path a leader chooses in response is illuminating.

Rather than brush the moment aside as an error and explain all you’ve done to be a more equitable organization, these are the opportunities to say, “as much as we hoped we were further along, the truth is, this is us. And we have more work to do.”

Leaders and organizations can with all earnestness try to learn, advance equity and inclusion in their organizations and shape a new culture. But their efforts will fail every time if they skip the important step of acknowledging and owning the deepest, most uncomfortable truths about “who we are.” 

When a shameful blemish is revealed, rather than deny its existence, seize the chance to dig into the real work. The flag was just raised calling on you to identify, claim and work to heal the root of the discomfort. 

This is your culture. And while it may not be the culture you want to present to the world, it’s the one you have. The great news is, if you can do that – really own it and not brush it off or explain it away – then you can work to change it.

Once you’ve owned the toxic parts of your culture you can shape a more desired culture. Follow these steps to shaping your culture:

·      Understand what behaviors fuel or enable that toxicity in your organization

·      Determine what you will no longer tolerate

·      Defend your culture from toxicity by holding yourself and others accountable for your behaviors

·      Model, celebrate and promote the behaviors that embody your desired culture

·      Accept missteps as a calling to dig in deeper and keep working

It is possible to shape a healthier culture that strives to live into your aspirations once you’re willing to own the truth of your existing culture – all of it.

And if you need help, I work with organizations to first understand the culture they have, define the culture they aspire to shape, and craft a roadmap to make that culture a reality.