Can corporate culture be too narrowly defined?

from Joyce Lasecke, President

on November 13, 2009

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I believe strongly that corporate cultural fit matters to a person’s success and satisfaction in a job.  I screen prospective employees with that in mind.  And I’m pretty effective at it, and I dare say proud of the skill.  Having shared beliefs about work and how to treat colleagues and customers helps a business run smoothly.
However, some recent reading has reminded me not to be so sure that I’m an authority on corporate cultural fit.  Of course it’s important. But at what point can a quest for shared beliefs turn into a quest for people who think and behave just like oneself? And to what degree is corporate culture a U.S. concept that may unwittingly exclude or alienate people from other countries? Here are what prompted these questions:

• Strengths Based Leadership by Tom Rath and Barry Conchie (description at http://strengths.gallup.com/110242/About-Book.aspx.)
• “Why Don’t They Like Us Overseas? Organizing U.S. Business Practices To Manage Culture Clash,” by Thomas M. Begley and David P. Boyd, published in Organizational Dynamics, Vol. 32., No. 4, in 2003 (available for purchase at http://www.sciencedirect.com)

I’m looking forward to conversations with colleagues in other businesses and other countries about their definitions and practices regarding corporate culture. 

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