Every organization has a climate; whether you are a one-person organization or a 10,000-person company, there is a climate. You may be very aware of it, or not so aware of it, but a climate exists. Of course it may change and not everyone would define it exactly the same.
I always find it fascinating to come in contact with an organization, whether a small company, large business, or non-profit – noticing and being influenced by what the entrance to the company looks and feel likes, who I’m greeted by as I enter and how I’m greeted. Is there a sense of urgency or a feeling of being relaxed, an environment of order or of chaos, of enjoyment or strain? I, as well as others, notice and are influenced by “small” things.
Here are five questions that I find extremely valuable to ask about the climate of your organization:
1. What’s the climate like in your organization? How do you know?
I’m reminded of a story I tell in my book, Less: Accomplishing More By Doing Less about walking into a company and perceiving the atmosphere or climate much like a fish tank that has gotten dirty and needs to be cleaned; yet no one seems to have noticed. I ask the CEO if he considered cleaning the water.
2. What do you want the climate to be? What is your vision of an effective organizational climate? Do you emphasize an atmosphere of urgency, of freedom, of accountability or some other values or integration of values? How does that look like in terms of decision-making, of hiring, and in collaborating?
3. What are the gaps between what you want the climate to be and what it is?
4. How does the climate effect the people in your workplace? Regardless of how aware you are, the climate or atmosphere, almost by definition, effects everyone almost all the time. Some people may find ways to work outside the climate, but this takes a good deal of energy.
5. How do your words and actions influence the climate? How does what you don’t do and don’t say influence the climate? Many people are aware of how what they do effects the climate. Much more subtle, and sometimes more powerful, is how what we don’t do effects the climate.
Here is an idea you may want to experiment with. Write down your perception of what the climate is like at your workplace. Then, ask two or three other people how they would describe the climate. Use this as the starting point for defining what kind of climate would be most effective.