cultivate conversations on culture
TRANSCRIPT
Cultivate Conversations on Culture
Recharge UnconferenceOctober 30, 2015
Who Are We?Tony Hahn, Reference Librarian, Des Plaines
Public [email protected]
Anne Belden, Head of Adult Reference, Ela Area Public Library
AgendaWhat is culture?Exploring culture statementsGroup exercise: Defining our ideal libraryGroup Exercise: Culture across libraries
Workplace CultureCulture consists of group norms of behavior and
the underlying shared values that help keep those norms in place. – Forbes
What does that mean?? It means that Culture is:The way we act within an organization, and The beliefs and values that drive us to act that
way.
Culture StatementA culture statement is a document, usually
internal, that expresses your organization’s way of life
For example: Are the people collaborative or territorial? Is breaking the rules encouraged or frowned upon? Is it OK to be a little weird?
In many cases culture is unwritten, but no less real
Mission StatementMission vs Culture
A mission statement: what we want to do for the outside world
A culture statement: what we want to do to and for one another as staff members
Some organizations have a vision or values statement, which tends to straddle the external and internal
Culture, Values, and Mission
Culture
Values
Mission
Informs
Informs
Why is Culture Important?It impacts happiness and satisfactionIt affects performanceIt attracts talent and drives retention
A healthy workplace culture draws people together on a common platform and motivates them to deliver their level best.
If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders.
Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.
Attributed to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Sample Culture Statements
Culture statements are used by both for-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations
They can vary by length and by structureWe have selected four examples
Non-profit OrganizationWith integrity and humility, we strive to live the Organization values, holding each other accountable for implementing the Organization mission. We practice shared leadership, recognizing, celebrating, and taking collective ownership of Organization’ success. Because a strong work ethic and responsible decision-making should exist at all levels of leadership, we apply fact-based decision-making and encourage all staff to proactively ‘course-correct,’ to efficiently manage resources so that those Organization serves will benefit.
HotelWe are Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen.
At The Hotel, our Ladies and Gentlemen are the most important resource in our service commitment to our guests.
By applying the principles of trust, honesty, respect, integrity and commitment, we nurture and maximize talent to the benefit of each individual and the company.
The Hotel fosters a work environment where diversity is valued, quality of life is enhanced, individual aspirations are fulfilled, and The Hotel Mystique is strengthened.
Public LibraryWe serve the community, and we are a community.Each of us is a whole person with individual experiences and a unique perspective. Our diversity is our strength, and we treat one another the same way we treat our patrons, starting with a belief that others’ intentions are good. As colleagues, we respect, value, support, and encourage one another. We recognize that we are better together, and we are committed to direct, open-minded communication and courageous collaboration.We share a passion for learning, and partnering with others to build a better community. All of us are generous with our time, talent, and resources. None of us are satisfied with “good enough,” because we know we can be “great.” Whether contributing to new innovations, or continuing established practices, we stay flexible, mindful, and dedicated. And we leave room to experience joy in our work and our colleagues, because together we form a vibrant whole organization.
Academic LibraryThe Library aspires to live by these guiding principles:Diversity and InclusionWe value and appreciate differences: of opinion, perspective, culture, race, socioeconomic status, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender expression, and physical ability.Innovation and CreativityWe value a culture of innovation and pledge to build a creative environment that allows us to explore new ideas, learn from failure, and continually re-envision what libraries can be.Love of LearningWe are intellectually curious and expect to continue to learn, grow, and develop throughout our lives. We do this by reading, through engagement in professional development, by learning from each other, and through access to cultural activities.
Our Core Values Across Libraries
What values does the ideal library workplace culture embody?
Core values are essentially a formalized definition of a company’s culture.
?
ResourcesBooks
The Culture Engine – S. Chris Edmonds Delivering Happiness – Tony Hsieh Joy, Inc. – Richard Sheridan Primed to Perform by Neel Doshi and Lindsay McGregor
ResourcesArticles and Websites
Creating a Culture of Usability – quod.lib.umich.edu/w/weave/12535642.0001.301?view=text;rgn=main
Creating a Culture Statement that Captures Your Brand – www.theandersongrp.com/do-you-say-hello-in-the-hallways/
The Key to Changing Organizational Culture – www.forbes.com/sites/johnkotter/2012/09/27/the-key-to-changing-organizational-culture/
Workplace Culture: What it Is, Why it Matters, & How to Define It –www.yourerc.com/blog/post/Workplace-Culture-What-it-Is-Why-it-Matters-How-to-Define-It.aspx
Zappos blog: Your Culture is Your Brand – blogs.zappos.com/blogs/ceo-and-coo-blog/2009/01/03/your-culture-is-your-brand
ResourcesSample Culture Statements
Arcus Foundation – www.arcusfoundation.org/who-we-are/ The Ritz-Carlton –
www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Corporate/GoldStandards/Default.htm
Skokie Public Library – skokielibrary.info/about/staff/culture/
Z. Smith Reynolds Library, Wake Forest University – zsr.wfu.edu/about/library-values/