Much has been written about transparency in business. When I work with senior executives they talk about wanting an organization that is “more transparent”. When I work with directors and managers, they voice concerns about the “lack of transparency” throughout the company. And, frontline supervisors and employees—well, the further removed you are from the actual decision-making, the less likely it is that you feel that the organization is actually transparent (at least in many companies). So, why is that? Why do we long for transparency, often build it into our corporate values, and yet fail to follow through in our day-to-day actions.
Your Stories, Your Culture
Author: Paul Dillenburg, Date: 9/21/2010In the course of our work, we are asked to assess organizational culture. Common areas we focus on in our assessment of the organization are the elements of culture. While there are a number of elements, one I’ve found particularly interesting is organizational stories. Stories are defined as the written or spoken accounts that take a variety of forms including legends, myths, and sagas. These may be “official” accounts or “unwritten rules” about what it is like to work at the organization. They are the “physical” descriptions of culture that are passed from employee to employee that help define what the organization is all about. To help define what it means to work in your organization, think about the following:
Beyond the Jargon – A Blog by Calibra
Author: btj-admin, Date: 7/13/2010Welcome to “Beyond the Jargon,” a blog by Calibra. Over the years we have provided coaching, training, and consulting to thousands of leaders and managers at all levels in organizations—senior level executives, mid-level managers, and frontline supervisors. We have learned as much from them as they have hopefully learned from us. What many have told us is, “this stuff should be so simple” (meaning the concept of leadership; providing vision and clear direction; the basic principles of communication; giving candid feedback; and, coaching openly and honestly). Then, they add, “but, it’s not easy!”
