idea couture_cocreating corporate culture_whitepaper v2

courtney lawrence Senior Resident Anthropologis t

jason marder Innovat ion Strategis t

white paperco-creating

corporateculture

" Like the unique patterns of ice crystallized on glass, every organization is a unique combination of forces formed over time."

- Courtney Lawrence

—Cover Photo Credit:Aja, Star Teacher

C O - C R E A T I N G C O R P O R A T E C U L T U R E | 3I D E A C O U T U R E © 2 0 1 6 |

—co

ntent

01

02

03

04

overview

04 The Mounting Crisis05 Culture’s Impact on Business Health06 Signals of Disengagement07 Socio-Cultural Shifts Affecting Engagement08 Challenges for Large Organizations

the culture solution

09 Culture Goes Beyond Office Perks09 Culture is Shaped, not Dictated10 The Potential of Subcultures10 Embracing Micro Culture Change

activating culture creation

12 Lead From and For the Collective13 Allow Agency at All Levels14 Explore and Celebrate Mythologies15 Embrace Liminality + Experimentation16 Establish Communitas + Enculturation17 Create Meaningful Reciprocity18 Harness Visual + Material Culture19 Encourage Selfhood

conclusion

20 Key Takeaways21 About the Authors22 Who We Are


overview—9 0 0 M I L L I O N P E O P L E

D O N ’ T F E E L E N G A G E D B Y

T H E I R W O R K . T H E R E A R E

3 4 0 M I L L I O N A C T I V E L Y

D I S E N G A G E D W O R K E R S A R O U N D

T H E G L O B E

D I S E N G A G E M E N T C O S T S

U . S . C O M P A N I E S B E T W E E N

$ 4 5 0 B I L L I O N A N D

$ 5 5 0 B I L L I O N I N L O S T

P R O D U C T I V I T Y E V E R Y Y E A R

The modern employee lives for work that is purposeful and engaging; seeking dialogue over dictation, purpose over pensions, and satisfaction over standardization. The Googles, Pixars, and Zappos of the world recognize this and have intentionally built cultures to meet this need. As a result, they are not only some of the most desirable companies to work for, but also some of the most objectively and commercially successful. Culture is the key variable.

The Mounting Crisis ∙

The engagement crisis is real. Increasingly, employees are dissociating from their stagnant and restrictive workplaces at unprecedented rates.

According to Gallup’s 2016 “State of the American Workplace” study, 70% of employees worldwide report that their work is not engaging. One quarter of that subset is “actively disengaged,” meaning they’re liable to publicize their dissatisfaction and adversely influence their peers. This translates to approximately 900 million people that don’t feel engaged by their work and 340 million actively disengaged workers around the globe.Such viral, cyclical negativity threatens the stability of the workforce. Disengagement costs US companies between $450 billion and $550 billion in lost productivity every year. In 2014, Deloitte surveyed 2,532 global business and HR leaders from 94 countries and countless industries.

01

Three quarters of those surveyed admit they:

/ / G R A P P L E W I T H A

S I G N I F I C A N T E N G A G E M E N T

+ R E T E N T I O N P R O B L E M

/ / S T R U G G L E T O A T T R A C T A N D

R E C R U I T T A L E N T E D P E O P L E

/ / H A V E A L A C K L U S T E R

E M P L O Y M E N T “ B R A N D ”

C O - C R E A T I N G C O R P O R A T E C U L T U R E | 5

02/ I N E U R O P E A N F I R M S T H A T

C R E A T E F R E E D O M F O R S E M I -

A U T O N O M O U S G R O U P S T O

O R G A N I Z E , 6 8 % R E D U C E D C O S T S ,

8 7 % R E D U C E D T H R O U G H P U T

T I M E S , 9 8 % I M P R O V E D T H E I R

P R O D U C T S A N D S E R V I C E S , A N D

8 5 % I N C R E A S E D S A L E S

Fast Facts: Culture’s Impact on Business Health ∙

01/ T H O S E C O M P A N I E S T H A T A R E

P U B L I C L Y T R A D E D O N F O R T U N E ’ S

' 1 0 0 B E S T C O M P A N I E S T O W O R K

F O R ' L I S T H A V E O U T P E R F O R M E D

T H E S & P 5 0 0 T W O T O O N E . S I N C E

T H E L I S T B E G A N , T H E 1 2

C O M P A N I E S T H A T H A V E A P P E A R E D

O N T H E L I S T E V E R Y Y E A R

C R E A T E D 3 4 1 , 5 6 7 N E W J O B S , A N

I N C R E A S E O F 1 7 2 % J O B G R O W T H

03/ E X T E N S I V E S W E D I S H

W O R K P L A C E S U R V E Y S

R E V E A L E D T H A T F L E X I B L E

O R G A N I Z A T I O N S A R E M O R E

P R O D U C T I V E ( + 2 0 - 6 0 % ) ,

H A V E L E S S P E R S O N N E L

T U R N O V E R ( - 2 1 % ) , A N D

L E S S F R E Q U E N T H E A L T H -

R E L A T E D A B S E N C E S ( - 2 4 % )

C O M P A R E D T O C O M P A N I E S

T H A T H A V E M O R E

T R A D I T I O N A L O R G A N I Z I N G

S T R U C T U R E S

An authentic and energized company culture that draws

talent and drives profit is achievable.

04/ 7 1 % O F E M P L O Y E E S

A G R E E T H A T E M P L O Y E E

E N G A G E M E N T I S V E R Y

I M P O R T A N T T O A C H I E V I N G

O V E R A L L O R G A N I Z A T I O N A L

S U C C E S S

05/ C O M P A N I E S T H A T H A V E M O R E

T A L E N T E D M A N A G E R S A N D

H I G H E R P R O P O R T I O N S O F

E N G A G E D E M P L O Y E E S A C H I E V E ,

O N A V E R A G E , 1 4 7 % H I G H E R

E A R N I N G S P E R S H A R E T H A N

T H E I R C O M P E T I T O R S

—Moskowitz, Milton, and Robert Levering. "The Best Employers in the U.S. Say their Greatest Tool is Culture," Fortune Magazine.

—Totterdill, Peter, Steven Dhondt, and Neil Devons. "The Case for Workplace Innovation". European Workplace Innovation Network.

—"The Impact of Employee Engagement on Performance," Harvard Business Review, 2013.

—Beck, Randall, and Jim Harter. "Why Great Managers Are So Rare," Gallup Business Journal, March 25, 2013.

01/ 02/03 04/ 05/



Fast Facts: Signals of Disengagement ∙

T H E F O L L O W I N G A R E S I G N S

T H A T Y O U R C O M P A N Y ,

T E A M O R D E P A R T M E N T A R E

D I S E N G A G E D :

— Innovation efforts that are ineffective and/or do not gain traction internally

— Challenges hiring the right people or attracting top talent

— Requests for divisional transfers

— Frequent salary or benefits negotiations

— Overwhelmed HR departments

— Reduction in candidate referrals

— Employee dissatisfaction with direct managers

— High number of sick days taken, employee absences and remote work requests

— High levels of employee turnover

— Customer dissatisfaction

— Decline in companyprofits

— Shrinking employee tenure

— Inter-employee conflicts


Socio-Cultural Shifts Affecting Engagement ∙

Engagement emerges from the investment in a higher purpose. In business, it means investment in a role, a company, a brand, and a community.

The popularity of purpose-led organizations with purpose-focused cultures has grown in recent years. Leadership expert and author, Simon Sinek made famous the simple, yet powerful, idea that all organizations need to first understand their “why”, or their guiding reason for being, before trying to sell what they do.

Stephen Shedletzky, Head Engagement Officer at Simon Sinek, Inc., explains, “no one wakes up in the morning and says, ‘Ah, I want to be managed today’. We want to be led. We want to have a vision and a cause to believe in. We want to have a WHY.”

Certain socio-cultural shifts support this desire. When ignored or not met by an employer, these drivers have the potential to create employees who are not invested in the business, the brand, or the work.

When ignored or not met by an employer, these drivers have the potential to create employees who are not invested in the business, the brand, or the work. Socio-Cultural Shifts ∙

N O T I O N S O F W O R K - L I F E B L E N D I N G / /

A greater acceptance of personhood at work and expectations of bringing one’s whole self to the job

T E C H N O L O G I C A L E N A B L E M E N T / /

Expectations for greater fluidity in working environments and greater transparency in communications

H O L I S T I C L I V I N G / /

Rising health concerns and subsequent desires to live for personal well-being: physically, emotionally, mentally

H A P P I N E S S R E - D E F I N E D / /

Rising desire for emotional and spiritual satisfaction in life beyond material happiness

D I A L O G U E O V E R D I C T A T I O N / /

Greater demand for two-way communication and conversation in lieu of dictation or dogmatism

E Q U A L I Z I N G P O W E R S T R U C T U R E S / /

Increasing diffusion and flattening of hierarchical structures and rising power of collaborative networks

C O M M U N I T Y B U I L D I N G / /

A search for safe, trusting environments and meaningful connection within communities

I D E A C O U T U R E © 2 0 1 6 |


Challenges for Large Organizations ∙

Many organizations have struggled in their approach to implement conscious change in large and/or highly bureaucratic environments, especially those that have existed for years and enjoyed steady success.

In organizations focused on how much of the top line gets to the bottom, calculating the impact of culture on profit can seem like a nebulous or distracting exercise.

However, this cultural neglect can and must be overcome as companies renowned for their cultures will poach top talent from direct competitors and adjacent industries. Opportunities exist for organizations of any size, age or industry to inspire and engage their workplace if they can identify, explore, and shift these challenges.

CONSTRAINED STRUCTURES / /

Highly micromanaged change efforts negate the inherent fluidity of change. Agile and responsive approaches are more challenging in larger organizations.

LIMITED RESOURCES //

Companies lack the capital to execute a redesign to scale. Whole system change requires money, time, effort, and coordination.

BUREAUCRATIC BARRIERS / /

For complex organizational structures, it can be years before a major cultural decision is approved and, by that time, the change may no longer be relevant.

COMMUNICATION INEFFICIENCIES / /

Employees who are disconnected from decisions are often uninterested in or resist making the change a reality.

COLLECTIVE NOSTALGIA + FEAR / /

Disrupting a particular norm when people are comfortable with the status quo can be intimidating. It is easier to mobilize change in smaller numbers.

TOPICAL APPROACHES / /

Culture change initiatives that have a narrow lens can offer topical and ineffective solutions without getting to the root problems.

ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL MENTALITY / /

Change is approached in a uniform way, without taking into consideration the particular context of the team or the organizational nuances.

SUPERFICIAL MEASURES OF IMPACT //

Most success metrics and tools are not detailed enough, aren’t real-time, and do not consider all the work-related issues that drive employee commitment.

These challenges can and must be overcome as companies renowned for their cultures will poach

top talent from direct competitors and adjacent

industries.


02

Culture goes beyond office perks ∙

Culture has become a buzzword, yet for many organizations continues to lack meaning and actionability.

While company leaders are increasingly aware that an engaging culture is crucial for staff retention, productivity, and business success, it remains superficial or non-directional. Meaningful culture is more than a new tagline, values statement, social perk, or a beautifully designed office. Culture building is more complex, but it doesn’t have to be an arduous task if everyone within a system approaches it in a constructive way.

For anthropologists, culture is a holistic and intricate system. It emerges from the norms, rituals, languages, and spaces of a group of people. It is the set of learned behaviors and ideas, including beliefs, attitudes, values, and ideals, that are characteristic expressions particular to a social group. This system also gives rise to the production of cultural products or material artifacts representative of that group.

Culture is shaped,not dictated ∙ Culture is socially constructed and ever evolving. Culture is not something that can be dictated top-down or guided by a set of assumptions drawn from elsewhere.

Holistic, authentic culture starts with the input of every member

towards the design of a living, evolving workplace identity.

the culture—solution

Just as no two individuals are created equal, when groups of people organize, the overlap of unique personalities, skills and preferences gives rise to a highly fluid, even unpredictable, domain of interactivity. Culture is never formulaic or mechanic.

Holistic, authentic culture starts with the input of every member towards the design of a living, evolving workplace identity. When culture is socially constructed by an invested democracy, the social, intellectual, and emotional fabric of a company is directly compatible with the character(s) of its constituency.


C O - C R E A T I N G C O R P O R A T E C U L T U R E | 1 0I D E A C O U T U R E © 2 0 1 6 |

The Potential of Subcultures ∙ Amongst anthropologists and sociologists, subcultures are understood as groups that emerge within the domain of an overarching culture.

Subcultures are manifest in society in groups such as underground music movements, alternative spiritual circles, or community volunteer organizations. Such groups hold values and norms that slightly differ from those of the majority within a wider society, but often still connect to and align with the dominant culture.

Within organizations, subcultures may form within individual teams, departments, or entire operating functions. Subcultures act as a breeding and proving ground for engagement and positive change.

Embracing Micro Culture Change ∙

The power of change comes from incremental action that inspires movement.

In theories of cultural diffusion, a society can be compared to agricultural ecologies with interconnected parts, whereby change in one part of the system influences and brings change in another part of the system. The process of organizational culture change or creation is impactful when it starts with one department or a single team. Small-scale participatory efforts, such as internal inovation labs, rapid brainstorming events, or employee committees, provide opportunities for new cultural norms to be born. Small tweaks to office language or meeting protocol for example, can serve as starting points for effective transformation.

S U S T A I N A B L E A N D S C A L A B L E O R G A N I Z A T I O N A L

C H A N G E I S M O R E E F F E C T I V E A N D M A N A G E A B L E

W I T H I N A C H O S E N S U B C U L T U R E F O R T H E

F O L L O W I N G R E A S O N S :

/ / L O W E R C O S T

/ / L O W E R R I S K

/ / P O T E N T I A L L Y H I G H E R R E T U R N

/ / G R E A T E R D E P T H O F U N D E R S T A N D I N G

/ / R E P L I C A B L E

/ / S M A L L E R T I M E I N V E S T M E N T


activatingculturalcreation—

03

In examining how leading companies motivate and inspire their workforce, it is clear that eight key principles drive engaging and thriving culture no matter size, age or industry.

By activating these principles in incremental movements within a subculture, pervasive culture is built. Each culture principle combines concepts from anthropology, positive psychology, and social change theory with a concrete manifestation from cultural exemplars including Pixar, Warby Parker, Medium, and Burberry.

3 . 1 L E A D F R O M A N D F O R T H E C O L L E C T I V E

3 . 2 A L L O W A G E N C Y A T A L L L E V E L S

3 . 3 E X P L O R E A N D C E L E B R A T E M Y T H O L O G I E S

3 . 4 E M B R A C E L I M I N A L I T Y + E X P E R I M E N T A T I O N

3 . 5 E S T A B L I S H C O M M U N I T A S + E N C U L T U R A T I O N

3 . 6 C R E A T E M E A N I N G F U L R E C I P R O C I T Y

3 . 7 H A R N E S S V I S U A L A N D M A T E R I A L C U L T U R E

3 . 8 E N C O U R A G E S E L F H O O D

—Note: There is no single way to create culture. Not all of these principles may apply to your organization. If they do, it may not be all at once.

By activating these principles in incremental movements

within a subculture, pervasive culture is built.



Culture Principle: Lead From and For the Collective ∙

O V E R V I E W / /

Any well-functioning society has a leader or leadership group that sets the vision for the community and leads the people toward that vision. In the most successful communities, leadership and the collective are interdependent. Leadership recognizes the necessity of the collective’s involvement and treats them with humility, respect, and admiration.

R E L E V A N C E / /

Leadership commitment is key to any change effort. Many organizations believe it is HR’s job to create or change culture; however, engaged leaders demonstrate dedication to making great culture a reality. Company town halls or executive-led stand-up meetings show a willingness to listen, and action on the outcomes of these meetings demonstrates the value of employee input.

E X A M P L E / /

M E D I U M H A S W E E K L Y F R I D A Y A F T E R N O O N

M E E T I N G S , O R ' F A M ' F O R S H O R T ,

D U R I N G W H I C H T H E C E O A N D T H E R E S T

O F T H E E X E C U T I V E T E A M F I E L D S “ O P E N

A N D H O N E S T ” Q U E S T I O N S F R O M T H E

E N T I R E C O M P A N Y . T H I S D E M O N S T R A T E S A

C O M M I T M E N T T O C O N T I N U O U S I M P R O V E M E N T

T H R O U G H C O M P A N Y - W I D E D I A L O G U E .

3.1


Culture Principle: Allow Agency at All Levels ∙

O V E R V I E W / /

Agency is the notion that each individual can choose and express by free will his or her actions, beliefs, behaviors, etc. It is a cornerstone of anthropological and psychological theory and a presupposition of modern society. Agency dictates loyalty and affiliation; the greater the level of agency one has, the more likely that person will be invested in their community.


Traditional organizations with authoritarian structures are often reluctant to distribute agency to the detriment of culture. Suppressing expression and choice only deepens a feeling of disengagement and disempowerment. Rather than leaving it up to a management team to make decisions around how to affect the culture, it is more effective to give teams and/or employees forums for expression and participation. Participation can happen at many levels, including peer mentorship groups, cross-functional committees, or rotating employee-led HR councils.

E X A M P L E / /

AT PIXAR, LEADERSHIP GIVES EVERY

NEW HIRE THE CONFIDENCE TO SPEAK

UP BY EMPHASIZING COUNTLESS

EMBARRASSING MISTAKES THAT HAVE

BEEN MADE AND HOW THEY WERE

RECTIFIED. TEAMS ARE TRUSTED TO

MAKE DECISIONS WITHOUT LAYERS

OF APPROVALS BUT WHEN A TEAM

IS STUCK, THEY CAN CALL AN

IMPROMPTU 2-HOUR COLLABORATIVE

MEETING WITH “THE BRAIN TRUST”,

MADE OF PIXAR’S MOST SENIOR

LEADERS.

3.2


Culture Principle: Explore and Celebrate Mythologies ∙

O V E R V I E W / /

Stories are a cultural cornerstone that humans use to create meaning and belonging. Both verbal and non-verbal forms of narrative embody how we feel about the world around us and help to sustain the communities they document and describe. To build a cohesive and engaged culture, one must examine the stories that are told internally and how they reflect the values and intentions of that culture.


Culture change efforts often rely on quantitative assessment tools to gauge the current state of the organization. While valuable and inclusive, these tools can discount the nuanced sentiments and stories that employees share amongst each other or across functions. Language is valuable in that it can shed light on the particular challenges or aspirations of a team or workforce at large. Company practices and communications, are most powerful when they consciously account for the nuanced vocabulary, tone, and mythologies embedded within the existing culture.

E X A M P L E / /

A T B U R B E R R Y , T H E L E A D E R S H I P T E A M

W A S L O O K I N G F O R W A Y S T O I N S P I R E

T H E I R W O R K E R S A N D R E - I G N I T E T H E

L E G A C Y O F T H E B R A N D . T H R O U G H I N -

D E P T H E T H N O G R A P H I C I M M E R S I O N A N D

I N T E R V I E W S W I T H E M P L O Y E E S A T A L L

L E V E L S , A B R A N D B O O K W A S C R E A T E D

T O C A P T U R E T H E C U L T U R E T H R O U G H T H E

E Y E S O F T H E E M P L O Y E E S . T H E B O O K I S

N O W T H E B A S I S O F C O M M U N I C A T I O N S F R O M

L E A D E R S H I P A N D I S U S E D W H E N T R A I N I N G

N E W H I R E S .

3.3


Culture Principle: Embrace Liminality and Experimentation ∙

O V E R V I E W / /

The human experience is defined by constant transition, change, and uncertainty, or what’s known in anthropology as ‘liminality’. We go through many states of liminality throughout our lives, for example, in between graduation and finding a job. The disorientation of liminality comes to an end as our identity evolves and integrates. The same principle applies to groups of individuals who go through a time of transition.


When an organization finds itself in an “in-between” state - a recent merger, restructuring, or rapid growth - the uncertainty can disrupt cultural equilibrium. Times of transition require new oases of collaboration, experimentation and co-creation, whether formally or informally. Liminality suggests that an organization’s people, teams or departments can socially and organically construct a desired outcome if given the space and time to do so.

E X A M P L E / /

A T W A R B Y P A R K E R , N O T H I N G I S E V E R

S T A T I C . E V E R Y W E E K E M P L O Y E E S A R E

A S K E D F O R T H E I R I N P U T O N V A R I O U S

A S P E C T S O F T H E B U S I N E S S . O N E

S U R V E Y A S K S E M P L O Y E E S T O R A T E T H E I R

H A P P I N E S S A L O N G A S P E C T R U M A N D G I V E

S U P P O R T I N G R E A S O N S F O R T H E I R R A T I N G .

A N O T H E R E X P L I C I T L Y A S K S F O R O N E N E W

M A R K E T - F A C I N G I N N O V A T I O N I D E A . T H E

O U T P U T S O F T H E S E Q U E S T I O N N A I R E S

F R E Q U E N T L Y G O O N T O I N F L U E N C E B O T H

P O L I C Y A N D P R O D U C T .

3.4


O V E R V I E W / /

In anthropology, ‘communitas’ refers to intense feelings of social togetherness and belonging defined by recognizing our common humanity, often in connection with rituals. Enculturation refers to ways in which newcomers gain a sense of communitas and how they integrate into the already constructed social fabric. The way they’re integrated dictates how comfortable they feel within the culture and how enthusiastic they are about contributing.


In organizations, employees need to feel kinship and compatibility with their peers. At a team or department level this may include acclimatizing employees to the existing culture by intentional on-boarding practices that go beyond information transfer. Belonging comes about by investing in understanding an employee’s purpose, personality and unique contributions, rather than just their skills and abilities.

3.5

E X A M P L E / /

W A R B Y P A R K E R E X P L I C I T L Y H I R E S F O R

L I G H T H E A R T E D N E S S A N D H U M I L I T Y . F O R

I N S T A N C E , I N T E R V I E W S W I L L I N C L U D E

Q U E S T I O N S L I K E “ W H A T W A S T H E L A S T

C O S T U M E Y O U W O R E ? ” I N O R D E R T O G A U G E

H O W T H E P O T E N T I A L E M P L O Y E E R E A C T S

T O A Q U E S T I O N T H A T F U N D A M E N T A L L Y

R E V E A L S A T T I T U D E S T O W A R D S

U N I N H I B I T E D N E S S A N D P L A Y .

Culture Principle: Establish Communitas and Enculturation ∙


Culture Principle: Create Meaningful Reciprocity ∙

O V E R V I E W / /

Anthropologist Marcel Mauss famously coined the idea that there is an intrinsic bond forged between a giver and receiver in a gifting exchange. The object that is being gifted is more than just a physical object; it is imbued with meaning and creates a moral and magical link between people. This idea of reciprocity underlies most social relationships, whereby there is a perceived obligation to give back once given to.


To form strong organizational subcultures, it’s important to define what constitutes a meaningful exchange between employer and employee, or manager and team member. Engagement requires an employee to feel motivated and as invested in the company or team’s success as the company or team is invested in theirs. To establish a feeling of mutual investment, leaders may consider introducing mechanisms like mentoring or coaching programs, clear goals and growth opportunities, flexible working hours, or social activities.

E X A M P L E / /

T O E N S U R E M A N A G E R S A R E C O N T I N U A L L Y

I N S P I R I N G E M P L O Y E E S I N A M E A N I N G F U L

W A Y , T H E M E D I U M P E O P L E O P S T E A M

D E S I G N E D A B E S P O K E H U M A N - C E N T R E D

F E E D B A C K S Y S T E M T H A T R E S U L T S I N

A N A R R A T I V E O F E A C H E M P L O Y E E . T H E

S T O R Y P R O V I D E S A D E S C R I P T I V E A N D

H O L I S T I C A C C O U N T O F O N E ' S S T R E N G T H S ,

D E S I R E S , G O A L S E T C . A N D E V E R Y S I X

M O N T H S A N E W C H A P T E R I S A D D E D .

T H E S T O R Y I S A C C E S S I B L E T O T H E

E M P L O Y E E ' S M A N A G E R A N D P R O V I D E S A N

A C T I O N - O R I E N T E D S Y S T E M R O O T E D I N T H E

N E E D S O F T H E I N D I V I D U A L .

3.6

C O - C R E A T I N G C O R P O R A T E C U L T U R E | 1 8

Culture Principle: Harnessing Visual and Material Culture ∙

O V E R V I E W / /

Material culture describes the relationship between people and their things, including the making, history, preservation, and interpretation of objects, and how space and objects create meaning. The things we create reflect our beliefs about the world, and the things around us affect the way that we understand the world and relate to one another.


There is a direct relationship between an organization’s physical environment and the health of its culture. Depending on whether the material and physical environment of an office supports or counteracts the desired cultural values, it can enhance or disrupt group cohesion. The physical environment must deliberately reflect and connect with the organization’s beliefs and values. Even small changes to color or seating can make a difference.

E X A M P L E / /

P I X A R I S B U I L T O N A W H O L E H E A R T E D

B E L I E F I N T H E P O W E R O F C O L L E C T I V E ,

E G A L I T A R I A N C R E A T I V I T Y , W H I C H T H E

O F F I C E E N V I R O N M E N T P H Y S I C A L L Y

R E F L E C T S . T H E C O R N E R S T O N E O F T H E

P I X A R C A M P U S I S T H E E X P A N S I V E L Y O P E N

“ A T R I U M ” , W H I C H C O N T A I N S A M A J O R I T Y

O F T H E B U I L D I N G ’ S M O S T O F T - V I S I T E D

M E E T I N G S R O O M S , T H E C A F E T E R I A , A N D

T H E F I T N E S S C E N T E R . T H I S D E S I G N

P R O M O T E S I N T E R A C T I O N S B E T W E E N

E M P L O Y E E S A N D L E A D S T O S P O N T A N E O U S

C O L L A B O R A T I O N S E S S I O N S T H A T E M B O D Y

T H E P I X A R E T H O S .

3.7

I D E A C O U T U R E © 2 0 1 6 | 1 8

C O - C R E A T I N G C O R P O R A T E C U L T U R E | 1 9I D E A C O U T U R E © 2 0 1 6 | 1 9

Culture Principle: Encourage Selfhood ∙

O V E R V I E W / /

Making sense of one’s purpose and identity is a life-long pursuit, and the most driven people are always on a journey towards self-betterment. As human beings we crave the ability to connect to others within a community while still being recognized for the individuals that we are. Our identities are grounded in universal human truths and emotions, but are also highly dynamic, emergent, and evolving.


Individuals crave a workplace where they can embrace and project their truest selves. Positive, progressive work cultures support their employees’ personal journeys by providing and nurturing opportunities for growth, self-expression, and personal exploration. Leaders or managers that support their people by placing value and care into feedback and designing explicit and implicit mentorship structures are more likely to have a satisfied and engaged workforce.

E X A M P L E / /

A T P I X A R , H R H A S B E E N R E B R A N D E D

“ T H E D E V E L O P M E N T D E P A R T M E N T ”

A N D S E E K S T O M A K E E V E R Y E M P L O Y E E

F E E L B A L A N C E D A N D F U L F I L L E D . T O

F O S T E R A C U L T U R E O F L E A R N I N G ,

E M P L O Y E E S A R E E N C O U R A G E D T O

E X P L O R E T H E I R C U R I O S I T I E S , F O R

E X A M P L E B Y P U B L I S H I N G I N A N

A C A D E M I C J O U R N A L O R T A K I N G A N

I N T E R E S T C L A S S O F F E R E D B Y T H E

C O M P A N Y .

3.8


conclusio

n—

04

// EIGHT KEY PRINCIPLES EXIST

TO SUPPORT THE CREATION OF

COHESIVE CULTURE

// TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE

IS ONLY POSSIBLE WHEN IT

EMERGES FROM A PLACE OF

SELF-REFLECTION

// INVESTING IN EMPLOYEES

CREATES A FEELING OF

OWNERSHIP OVER SUCCESS

OF BUSINESS OUTCOMES,AND

ULTIMATELY GENERATES TANGIBLE

BUSINESS VALUE

// ENGAGEMENT IS MORE THAN

METRICS, IT’S ABOUT DESIGNING

STRUCTURES TO INSPIRE AND

EMPOWER THE WORKFORCE

// AUTHENTIC CULTURE MUST

AND CAN BE BUILT TO CREATE

LASTING ENGAGEMENT

Key Takeaways ∙

// CHANGE IS POSSIBLE

REGARDLESS OF ORGANIZATIONAL

SIZE, AGE, OR INDUSTRY

// EFFECTIVE CULTURE CHANGE

COMES FROM COMMITMENT AND

INPUT AT ALL LEVELS

// START AT THE BOTTOM AND

ADVANCE IN INCREMENTAL

FASHION USING SUBCULTURES

TO MAKE CHANGE MANAGEABLE

An Energized Culture is Attainable ∙

Participatory culture is the key to a successful and satisfied workplace. To begin, organizations must take an honest inventory of what’s on their inside.

CEOs and leadership teams must assess issues with integrity and respect for the well-being of the collective. Every organization has different

challenges and working environments and therefore unique opportunities for transformation. Each opportunity is an invitation to bring employees together, celebrate the collective, and achieve positive growth. To apply the culture principles with a team, department, or organization, a combination of professional rigorous exploration, insight, and strategic action is required. Coupling the culture principles outlined with small-scale participatory efforts generates lasting impact no matter who or where you are.


C O - C R E A T I N G C O R P O R A T E C U L T U R E | 2 1

about the authors—

Courtney LawrenceSENIOR RESIDENT ANTHROPOLOGIST

Courtney combines sharp intellectual rigor with creativity, intuition and compassion. She tackles complex business challenges daily. Her expertise in translating insight to strategy results in meaningful product and service innovations in any sector. Ensuring a competitive advantage and on-going market relevance are two key benefits that Courtney delivers to clients.Courtney has worked with companies across diverse industries to re-design existing offerings to capture new market opportunities, launch new products and services to fill unmet needs, guide brand development for industry leadership, and develop new strategic platforms for growth. Creating cohesive workplace communities through internal employee, operations and culture innovation is central to her work. Courtney holds a Master’s Degree with Distinction in Visual Anthropology from the University of Oxford. Notable clients include Proctor and Gamble, Whirlpool Corporation, lululemon athletica, Telus Communications, Reckitt Benckiser, UCB, The Hospital for SickKids and the Canadian Scholarship Trust.

Jason MarderINNOVATION STRATEGIST

A journalist named Max Lerner was quoted as saying, “I’m neither an optimist nor pessimist, but a possibilist,” and it’s by this maxim that Jason lives and works. Jason has a passion for customer experience that stretches back to his early days as a digital strategist. Prior to joining Idea Couture, Jason was strategy consultant at PwC, where, as a core member of the customer impact team, he collaborated with clients to better understand their customers and translate those insights into real business value.With a grasp on market sensitivity and a grounding in design thinking, Jason helps clients from utilities to hotel groups to nonprofits realize the possibilities that result from being more collaborative and more attuned to customers’ perennially changing needs. Jason’s work spans a breadth of complex industries each with distinct challenges. Jason holds two bachelor of science degrees from Cornell University; one in Behavioral Economics & Business Strategy and one in Technology & Social Influence.

His clients include Whirlpool Corporation, FedEx, VF, Avaya, Samsung, Bose, Wyndham Hotels, Citi, and Duke Energy.

I D E A C O U T U R E © 2 0 1 6 |


who we are

We help leading companies envision and create differentiating breakthrough products, services and programs that fulfill client requirements, build lasting emotional connections between customers and brands, and drive new revenue.

We believe in the power of D-School + B-School™. Delivering value by bringing the best team of multi-disciplinary minds to every project, our internal expertise in anthropology, sociology, futures, strategy, branding and the design of new product experiences enables us to negotiate our way through any consumer, channel or business obstacle.

IDEA COUTURE IS AN AWARD-WINNING

GLOBAL STRATEGIC INNOVATION AND

EXPERIENCE DESIGN FIRM.

We are driven by an informed intuition that combines creativity and rigour, insight and foresight, art and science, intelligence and elegance. Every one of our teams employs an adaptive, holistic and user-centered approach to the development of experiences.

With a clear focus on engagement throughout the lifecycle of every project, we plan not only the interactions between users and products but also the wide range of situations where these relationships are formed and maintained. Striking the ideal balance between rational and emotional contexts is key to our innovation process.

T O R O N T O

S A N F R A N C I S C O

N E W Y O R K

L O N D O N

S H A N G H A I

M E X I C O C I T Y

S Ã O P A U L O

Scott FriedmannChief Innovat ion Off icersfr iedmann@ideacouture .com647.827.0412 ext 202

Courtney LawrenceSenior Resident Anthropologis tc lawrence@ideacouture .com647.448.3830

idea couture_cocreating corporate culture_whitepaper v2

Documents