discover » Culture Archetypes
In our work with organizations over many years we have found cultures can be described through five archetypes. We have recently built a sixth, outlined on this website for the first time. Working with these archetypes has proved very useful.
- to those wanting to establish the link between culture and a new strategic priority
- to simplify communication and make it easier for people to understand how you want them to behave differently from how they behaved before
- to prioritize investment in culture initiatives
- to help leaders picture what a target culture would look like
Check out our six archetypes and see if you can identify the strongest and weakest in the organization in which you work. No organization we know is strong in all six (although most would like to be). You can be wildly successful of the strength of just one archetype, executed really well. Your strongest archetype will define the personality of your company. But, a new strategic direction will probably demand that you build a new archetype to add to your existing strengths.
Achievement culture >
In an Achievement culture individuals, teams and the organization are expected to keep their word. The approach is disciplined, the targets clear, people are held to account, and reward and negative consequences are aligned to performance.
Customer-Centric culture >
A Customer-Centric organization is designed from the outside in. The driver for decision making is whether it will make it easier, cheaper, faster or more pleasurable for the customer. In a customer-centric culture listening is a key activity, and those who deal directly with customers are empowered and valued.
One-Team culture >
In a One-Team culture, people are expected to think and collaborate across organizational boundaries. They identify with the whole as closely as they do with their local colleagues and function, and are able to balance the needs of both.
Innovation culture >
Innovative organizations tend to be ahead of their customers, rather than responding to them. They are often product led, with the means to tap into customers needs even before the customer can articulate them.
People-First culture >
In a People-First culture employees engagement is high, they want to contribute and they go the extra mile because they are in a relationship of mutual respect and trust. They are treated well, and they treat the organization and its customers well - a sense of fair exchange occurs.
Greater-Good culture >
We are seeing a sixth archetype emerge. Greater-Good companies aspire to a make a difference and defining their contribution beyond profit, and beyond customer and employee satisfaction. They consider that they have a responsibility to the broader community, to well being, the environment, climate change and to future generations.
