How culture takes root

Inspired by the folks at Obvious, with whom I spent a memorable five years, and their playbook in the public domain, Obvious U, I am sharing insights on organisation building. How culture takes root Inspired by the folks at Obvious, with whom I spent a memorable five years, and their public-domain playbook, Obvious U, I’m… Continue reading How culture takes root

Why culture is a system, not a slogan

Culture is the sum of the behaviours an organisation rewards, tolerates, and quietly punishes. Change the incentives and you change the culture. Most culture work fails because it treats culture as a message to be broadcast rather than a system to be redesigned. Downstream, under pressure and on an average Thursday, the culture people experience… Continue reading Why culture is a system, not a slogan

Is this your circus? Is this your monkey?

PC: Syed Ahmad, taken at Hogenekkal, TN

Entirely too often, founders and HR folk get pulled into situations that need not be handled by them, and often, in looking elsewhere, miss out on looking at other essential things that did need their attention. Leaders I work with ask a version of the question, usually sideways, over a second cup of chai: is… Continue reading Is this your circus? Is this your monkey?