Chapter23.Culture

Chapter 23. Culture

We are seeing a renaissance of interest in culture and values in business these days,^[1] which I view as another example of nature abhorring a vacuum: Culture and values are coming into focus now because we simply haven't given them much consideration in recent times. While revelations about errant companies and company officers continue to multiply, those who have hewn to the true path seem to be forgotten. It's always that way: The foibles and follies of rascals sell newspapers and media air time, and the honest folks don't get much publicityeven if they represent the majority.

^[1] For example, see Amy C. Edmondson and Sandra E. Cha, "When Company Values Backfire." Harvard Business Review, November 2002, or Patrick Lencione, "Make Your Values Mean Something." Harvard Business Review, July 2002.

In this chapter, we'll delve into the relationship between "culture" and "values." I'm proud to have worked for a company that has a strong culture, coupled with the right values. But this is not an accident. In mapping out the territory from my own perspective, it goes without saying that my own set of values aligns pretty closely with those of Rational Software; otherwise, I would not have spent more than 16 years there.

We'll start by examining what a culture is and then see how values play into defining and supporting culture.