Belonging: The Tapestry of Organizational Culture Woven by Individual Experiences
In the dynamic landscape of today's professional world, organizations of every stripe are recognizing the significance of fostering a sense of belonging among their members. The foundation of a strong organizational culture lies in the intricate tapestry woven by the individual experiences of its members and the shared threads of value that bring them all together under the vision of it’s leadership. Beyond this foundation, there are specific elements that provide evidence of a culture of belonging. Let’s dive into this essence of belonging and what makes culture, culture.
Belonging is more than just a buzzword; it is the lifeblood that courses through the veins of a thriving organization. Every organization, much like a body, needs people that are just there to do the work, provide energy to their designated areas, step up in times of need but know their role and respect it, are connectors, go above and beyond, etc. When individuals feel a sense of connection (fit), acceptance, and purpose, they are more likely to invest their time, energy, and talents into the collective. When an organization, then, recognizes the connection with their individuals and the ways in which their contributions allow the whole to be successful while striving to provide the nutrients needed to keep them healthy; a culture of belonging can thrive.
The Mosaic of Individual Experiences (the Body): Every member of an organization brings a unique set of experiences, perspectives, and values. These individual narratives collectively contribute to the mosaic that is organizational culture. If these narratives are only deemed relevant when there is a major initiative, a problem or when recommended to be shelved until the next time, the message is that these individual experiences are not important. According to Olson (2002), “…the Organizational Culture (OC) concept addresses the unique ways people behave privately and publicly within an organization, and the processes by which language, values, etc. come to be shared across individual organization members.”** So, how do you communicate in your organization? How do you gather, consider and integrate individual perspectives into the larger conversation to build/maintain trust and stay current with your community? These are not just questions for senior leaders but for middle managers, department leads, etc. When space is made for contributing individual experiences and validation extended to these perspectives, a shared understanding can be fostered and acted upon.
RIGHT NOW ACTIONS
Be clear that every perspective or experience is valid but may not be acted upon at that time or at all. Being upfront about what can and can’t be done goes a long way in empowering and encouraging communication.
Check in informally with your team members. While relationships may look different, showing equal interest and reminding members that you are available to listen privately if needed increases comfort and reinforces the message that their experiences are important.
Use non-punitive questioning to find the gaps in member experience and understanding so that responses can address what is needed to be successful.
Leadership's Role in Shaping Culture (the Head): All leaders including and sometimes especially, managerial leaders plays a pivotal role in setting the stage for a healthy organizational culture. Key behaviors that support and nurture belonging include:
Modeling: When leaders prioritize and model inclusive behavior, they send a powerful message that all belong. Modeling the agreed upon values, professionalism, tolerance and self regulation sets the tone and provides a reference point for appropriate community behaviors.
Consistent Communication: Communication channels that allow for the flow of information to run true and clear are essential for a healthy culture. The community being aware of how communication flows, who to go to and where authority lies for decision making creates a sense of security that promotes psychological safety.
Confronting: Addressing issues in a forthright and timely manner can be deeply uncomfortable especially if the issues are a direct reflection of the leader themselves. However, allowing rumors, toxic behavior, unprofessionalism, and other maladaptive behaviors to run rampant throughout the community due to avoidance, emotional dysregulation or avoidance (to name a few) can cause these behaviors to set and fester. Confronting concerns, both openly and privately, promotes a healthy culture of openness, trust and safety among its members.
Advocacy: Leaders that protect their community through advocacy and support promote a strong culture of connectedness. They do so by ensuring they know their workers and their clients; stepping in to manage abusive or destructive client behaviors, while providing opportunities for staff to debrief and de-stress. In this way, they may proactively reduce the prevalence of compassion fatigue, stress, and trauma.
In just these four leadership behaviors, we begin to see how the leader provides direction and guidance in molding a culture where community members feel that they can belong.
The culture of an organization is not an abstract concept; it is a living, breathing entity shaped by the myriad of individual experiences within it. We look forward to going deeper into this concept and fleshing out the nuance and niceties of the organization as a whole.
** Reference
Olson, R. (2003). Organizational culture putting the organizational culture concept to work. The behavior analyst today, 3(4), 471.
Go Deeper,
