Cultural Issues that Diminish Organization Effectiveness

[Kathryn Alexander]

Keeping Good People a Problem?

The main reason people leave is that they are unhappy with their manager. The secondary reason is the corporate culture. The cultural norms are what allow bad managers to flourish. There are several characteristics of an ineffective culture. These characteristics empower bad mangers, devalue employees and limit the capacity and capabilities of the entire workforce and, in doing so, impact the bottom line.



The misuse of power is first on the list. Many people think that power is getting people to do what I want. The way to do that is to bribe or coerces people to do what I say. The limitations of this point of view is that you have only one contributor - the manager - and you are losing the contributions of the rest of the workforce. The misuse of power generates the use of politics and politics can undercut discovering the most effective solution.



The misuse of power also generates fear in the organization. Fear is THE most limiting factor affecting organization effectiveness. Fear limits input, it may distort information or cause the hiding of relevant information. Fear is often responsible for why people withhold themselves, their knowledge and expertise and why they leave.



Creating and maintaining the right culture to deliver your strategic needs is a foundational ingredient to long-term success.