Culture has been around for a long time. Greek, Roman, Catholic, American, rock ’n’ roll, football and military cultures have all left their indelible marks on human history. Time, place, beliefs, organisations and interests can all inspire unique cultures. Once patterns of behaviour and values take shape, cultures tend to create the organisation, communication channels, community spaces and regular activities that give them a self-sustaining life.
Technology has been with us through the ages too. Fire, the wheel, levers, blades, writing and the printing press have all had a profound impact on human society. So did the light bulb, the PC, the telephone and television. We know technologies tend to take hold through use rather than belief. Early adopters experiment with a new tool, fast followers jump in once good news stories emerge, and the mass market follows in due course as it becomes fashionable or clearly beneficial to do so.
Culture and technology are two very powerful forces, influencing our society, evolving our approach to business and shaping the future our youth will inherit.
When push comes to shove, what happens when culture and technology collide on the way to our digital future? In the most recent CGI Global 1000 study, 72 per cent of senior executives cite cultural change as the critical gap to close in order to ensure successful digital transformation. Many other studies point to a similar finding: that culture and technological change are often in conflict.
The renowned culture specialist Carolyn Taylor tells us that organisational culture is created by the messages we receive about what is valued. These messages are transmitted through the behaviour, symbols and systems people in an organisation observe and are confronted by.
Digital technology is having a profound impact on organisational culture via each of these channels:
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Behaviour
Mobile devices, location-based services and big data-enabled apps allow staff and customers to do what they want, anywhere, any time. Adoption of these technologies by leaders shows the way for their staff, who in many cases are using them in their personal lives anyway. Very soon, new patterns of working behaviour become the norm.
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Symbols
The type of technology we use, and how and when we use it, send powerful symbolic messages. Who carries the latest smartphone, tablet or laptop, while others struggle with outdated tools? The answer tells us a lot about how employees are valued. Who is trusted with remote access and the flexibility to work from home, car or anywhere, versus the need to show up at the office all day? This is another strong signal about the culture and leadership style of an organisation.
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Systems
Much of our work is now mediated via technology. There are apps for timesheets, expense approvals, procurement of travel and accommodation, conducting performance reviews and managing business workflows. Whether we like it or not, we must satisfy the wants and needs of these corporate systems rather than do as we please.
Technology is profoundly shaping organisational culture as it communicates with us through behaviour, symbols and systems. In modern city life, there are few places to run or hide from these pervasive messages, and so it is inside our organisations. Technology and culture are now inextricably linked and co-evolving, affecting how we live, work and play.
Culture and technology must be aligned
I see several fundamental implications for business from this socio-techno symbiosis:
- We can’t do technological change successfully without considering the cultural context of the organisation. If the technology is not culturally compatible, it will simply be defeated by the organisation’s immune system.
- We can’t do cultural change successfully without considering the technological framework within which the organisation operates. Exhorting people to change their mindsets and behaviour, but leaving them to fight with systems that force them to do otherwise, is merely wishful thinking.
- We can accelerate desired cultural change through intelligently harnessing technology, using it to attune behaviour, symbols and systems in line with our chosen business strategy.
- We can leverage culture as a powerful driver of technological innovation, encouraging the open-minded, inquiring, tinkering attitude and behaviour that enable new ideas to be heard and given a fair chance in the marketplace.
Professor John Kotter of Harvard Business School has described culture as the most powerful lever with which to drive performance. I think it is equally powerful in driving change and innovation.
It’s the ability to deal with the cultural bedrock of organisations – the ruling mindsets and attitudes that determine why people do what they do – that is key to unlocking the value of technology. On its own, technological advancement may be an expensive and pointless sideshow.
