In this episode, we are going to talk about where the culture of an organisation applies. So, in short, the answer to the question in the title “Is an organisation culture only internal” is no, an organisation’s culture is not just internal.

Any culture is internal because it is based on very deep underlying assumptions. These deep, basic assumptions are the internal layer of a culture. It is about what we hold as true or false. For instance, how a culture views time is a basic assumption of that culture. Another assumption is our relationship with the wider world, our environment, nature. Basic assumptions are what that cultural group holds as true or false. What do you hold for true in conducting business, dealing with customers, suppliers and so on, providing products or services and about everything an organisation is at a fundamental level? This is the basis of your organisation’s culture and that is internally focus in the sense that it is the basic assumptions of the people within the organisation.

The second layer, the intermediate layer of the culture of your organisation are the norms and values of your organisation. Norms are what is considered right, appropriate and acceptable in a group. Can you talk about politics, religion? Can you say openly how much you earn? Is it ok to challenge your boss if you have a different idea? What is the dress code? And it is here that your culture begins to get external, even if your values and norms are internal to the organisation. Your organisation probably has a list of values somewhere on its website. Your norms and values are also the filters through which you will judge, even if is unconscious, the people you interact with, whether they are internal or external to the organisation.

And finally, you have the external layer of culture. This layer consists of the artefacts and products of your organisation. This is what someone experiences first when they come in contact with your organisation. This how you do things in your organisation, your standards, the expectations, the behaviours you encourage. This is also, if you have offices, the plan and deco the organisation has chosen. It is what your people say about your organisation. It is all the external aspects that everyone in contact with your organisation, its people or any of its messages or products that people come in contact with. This is the window for the world into your culture. And this is purely external. It is driven from the more internal layers of the basic assumptions, norms and values of the organisation. It is how these are translated into actions, behaviours and messages. But all these are for other people, hence the external aspect of it.

So, I hope now you can see that with everything your organisation and its people do, say and so on, you show the culture of your organisation.

You may have a thought here that it will also reflect the culture and personal opinions of the person involved. But this is also a reflection of your organisation culture: that actually your people haven’t been transmitted your culture consciously in a way that they can convey it. If people express their own view when representing your organisation, you need to make your culture stronger.

Episode 23 – Communication journey

The Communication & Culture PodcastBy Nadege MInoisSep 20, 2023