Organizational culture or climate is such a soft word.  It is hard to see it.  But like a fart: hard to see but everyone knows its there.  The culture of your organization may have more impact on its future than any other item.  Invariably, long lasting, high performing organizations like Gainesville Health & Fitness, or Zingerman’s Deli, or Nick’s Pizza and Pub all have conscously designed and faithfully nurtured cultures. The vast majority of corporations and non profits have undesigned and/or unnurtured cultures.  THis does not mean they do not have a culture; it means their culture is not strategic.  Thus it tends to erode the organization’s effectiveness and efficiency.

On January 28, 1986 as I was driving down Route 15 in San Diego Country on my way to work.  Listening to the news as they reported the lift off of the Challenger Space Shuttle.  Then in amazement the announcer reported the disintegration of the Shuttle.  All the crew died.  All the rest of us learned about frozen O rings. In the next twenty mintues as I finished my commute, I reflected on the ultimate casue of the disaster and it was not an O ring.  It was the organizational culture.  As the story unfolded over the next days and months, my insight as to the real cause of the disaster was confrimed.

NASA had developed a bureaucratic culture characterized by: getting along was more valued that getting it right; not rocking the boat; respecting seniority and status; a thickening sclerosis between the levels of heirarchy and silos of specialization where information from another was generally dismissed if it did not support your view.

As NASA investigated, assigned balme, and replaced old leaders with new ones, they announced a new era built on lessons learned. I concluded the culture was never addressed, and not in the lest bit changed, and will lead to another preventable disaster.

In 2003 Columbia lost heat protecting tiles in its launch.  WHile it orbited the earth for slme two weeks, NASA engineers debated the dangers of the lost tiels and concluded ‘nothing needs to be done.’  On re entry Columbia dis integrated with the loss of all the crew.  I reviewing the post accident analysis, it seemd like the old culture ws still in place.

Of course, you could argue that two accidents in all the decades of NASA is not a bad track record and you would be right.  But is is not excellent.  And just possibly a strong culture would have prevented both.

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