Message 5: Corporate Culture

There is probably no greater influence on corporate culture than leadership communication. In Lessons 9 through 12, we will discuss the fundamental effects that culture has on organizations and the vital role that leadership communication plays in creating a cultural foundation.

In many cases, the ways an organization works, along with the boundaries that accompany them, are carefully designed and defined; however, communication of this intended culture is not always conveyed to all employees. The gap leaves organizations wondering why their goals are not met even after a carefully thought-out plan. Leaders who fail to clearly define and communicate workplace culture, or who assume that the culture is understood, will always fail.

Then, there are cases in which the intended culture is misunderstood or confusing, thanks to a specific behavior or message that was taken out of context, as Hamm discusses. The thing about culture is that it has to be maintained. Even when cultural parameters are defined and communicated, things change! Businesses evolve, leaders move on, and companies merge. Given this dynamic environment, a consistent, constant, and clear message of culture must be communicated and integrated. Leaders view cultural communication as a "one-and-done" checklist or task. Unfortunately, communicating culture is an ongoing responsibility.