How to Identify and Avoid Bad Corporate Subcultures
Bad Corporate Subcultures are Unaligned
Even companies with high performing organizational cultures have to recognize that corporate subcultures are not necessarily uncommon or bad. We define bad corporate subcultures as ones that are misaligned with the company’s strategy or that undermine the company’s core values.
Why Corporate Subcultures Exist
When a company or team is small, corporate subcultures tend to be rare because everyone is working closely together to achieve a clear and common objective. Corporate subcultures typically start when companies and teams grow and either consciously or subconsciously develop their own distinctive behaviors, values, and norms to meet their specific objectives that differ in some significant way from the overall corporate culture.
Can Corporate Subcultures Create Problems?
It can be difficult for leaders to accept that there is not an absolutely uniform workplace culture within their organization. But they should recognize that, within bounds, corporate subcultures allow groups to have a distinctive identity that can create a sense of belonging that supports the organization as a whole. However, if a corporate subculture comes into conflict with your strategic priorities or the desired culture where their values are at odds, yes, bad subcultures can be very problematic.
An Example of Healthy Corporate Subcultures
One of our high tech clients is laser-focused on being the market leader in their space with new products and services that are continuously beyond what exists today. Accordingly, their go-to-market strategy and overall corporate culture are based on innovation, pushing the envelope, making big bets, testing alternatives, embracing risk and learning from mistakes. But a portion of their operations team is purposefully misaligned from a cultural perspective by having an explicit culture of planning, education, prevention and safety.
The same is true of their finance and HR departments in terms of respecting specific rules and regulations. While both departments can innovate in some areas, it is in the organization’s best interests that certain corporate subcultures exist and are purposefully misaligned.
Us Versus Them
The danger of a conflict between the overall organizational culture and bad corporate subcultures that inhibit the strategic direction or undermines the company values is that it creates an “Us vs. Them” mentality. This is an unhealthy situation for all.
How to Avoid Bad Corporate Subcultures that Sabotages Success
- Acknowledge the Subcultures that Exist
As a leader, recognize that some functions within your organization are better served with a subculture that respects the majority culture but behaves in a nuanced way that fits their role. - Beware of Dysfunction
Be alert for signs that a subculture is being disruptive or confrontational. If you notice increasing conflict or a pattern of poor performance, investigate the cause. - Change the Dynamic
Don’t allow a toxic climate to continue. There are lots of ways to change the dynamic, from changing managers to juggling teams, but do not let a bad corporate subculture fester.
The Bottom Line
Corporate subcultures exist in organizations. Great leaders understand this and accommodate them unless they somehow impede the strategy or threaten the overall cultural health of the company.
To learn more about how to align your culture with your go-to-market strategy and corporate values, download The 3 Levels of a High Performance Culture
     |
Latest Blogs
03.20.2019
16 Top Questions to Measure Manager Engagement Effectiveness
03.18.2019
Successful Strategy Execution – What Matters Most?
03.15.2019
How to Sell Value versus Price
03.14.2019
Impact of Managers on the Transfer of Training
03.13.2019
7 Threats to a Positive Company Culture
03.12.2019
3 Smart Ways for New Managers to Climb the Corporate Ladder
03.11.2019
Employee Tips to Improve Career Development Discussions
03.10.2019
How to Use Corporate Training Metrics to Drive Value
Evaluate your Performance
Toolkits
Download key published insights and tools from industry experts highlighting best practices in the areas of talent, strategy and culture.
Health Checks
Want to know how you stack up against leading organizations? Receive a complimentary benchmarking analysis courtesy of an LSA Expert.
Whitepapers
Get up to speed on timely solutions critical to your business. Published by LSA Experts based upon client feedback and key industry trends.
Methodologies
First we identify the key metrics you want to improve. Then we assemble a dedicated team of elite experts who have successfully solved similar problems with similar clients.
Blogs
Stay up to do date with the latest information on how we help high growth companies align their culture and talent with strategy.
Client Case Studies
Real world consulting and training approaches from LSA projects, providing insights on how your company can outperform the competition.