Interpreting behaviour without culture is like watching someone dance without hearing the music
“We need to introduce some governance for the sales channels.
They’re all dodgy.”
I’ve heard variations of this across many years.
We observe an action (A) or behaviour (B), then offer an interpretation that makes sense to us.
Without being able to understand the thought process (Cognition – C) or motive (Desire – D), we have an incomplete picture where we fill in the blanks.
If someone drives in the middle lane of the motorway, we can only judge them on their Action or Behaviour; not their Cognition or Desire.
But something is encouraging that A & B.
Something makes those actions and behaviours acceptable, normalised and “how we get things done around here.”
That something is culture.
Culture isn’t the behaviour itself. It sits below that, encouraging, nudging and nurturing those “acceptable” practices.
Without understanding the culture, we continue with our incomplete picture – and believe that they’re a terrible driver or dodgy sales person.
We challenge the behaviour – issuing sanctions or feedback.
But without addressing the culture, this will lead to the behaviour still manifesting elsewhere. It doesn’t resolve the issues.
This is why we must seek to understand the cultural influences at play.
It’s that influence that sets the rules of the game, and informs us how to behave and make decisions.
