{domain:"www.qualitydigest.com",server:"169.47.211.87"} Skip to main content

User account menu
Main navigation
  • Topics
    • Customer Care
    • FDA Compliance
    • Healthcare
    • Innovation
    • Lean
    • Management
    • Metrology
    • Operations
    • Risk Management
    • Six Sigma
    • Standards
    • Statistics
    • Supply Chain
    • Sustainability
    • Training
  • Videos/Webinars
    • All videos
    • Product Demos
    • Webinars
  • Advertise
    • Advertise
    • Submit B2B Press Release
    • Write for us
  • Metrology Hub
  • Training
  • Subscribe
  • Log in
Mobile Menu
  • Home
  • Topics
    • 3D Metrology-CMSC
    • Customer Care
    • FDA Compliance
    • Healthcare
    • Innovation
    • Lean
    • Management
    • Metrology
    • Operations
    • Risk Management
    • Six Sigma
    • Standards
    • Statistics
    • Supply Chain
    • Sustainability
    • Training
  • Login / Subscribe
  • More...
    • All Features
    • All News
    • All Videos
    • Contact
    • Training

Culture Schmulture

Beware of labels that let you off the hook

Bruce Hamilton
Fri, 06/21/2013 - 16:32
  • Comment
  • RSS

Social Sharing block

  • Print
  • Add new comment
Body

Some time ago, while giving a presentation titled “Organizational Obstacles to Lean,” I displayed a slide captioned “It’s not about culture.” My point was that “culture” is a bad analogy because it places the burden for change on the shoulders of employees rather than on management where it belongs.

ADVERTISEMENT

Later I drew criticism from a fellow presenter, a manager from a well-known, leading-edge lean manufacturer. “I liked everything about your presentation except the part about culture,” he said after I finished. “If the culture in our company had not changed, we would never been able to sustain our gains.”

“It’s just the word,” I explained. “I think it’s often used to deflect responsibility away from bad management. I prefer the words “favorable environment” because they connote management responsibility.”

 …

Want to continue?
Log in or create a FREE account.
Enter your username or email address
Enter the password that accompanies your username.
By logging in you agree to receive communication from Quality Digest. Privacy Policy.
Create a FREE account
Forgot My Password

Comments

Submitted by Jens R. Woinowski on Sat, 06/29/2013 - 00:00

Management is the key

Hi Bruce,

good point. I think "team culture" is just a lame excuse if the management culture is rotten. E.g., clinging to self sustaining hierarchies, or lack of empowerment.

Regards,

Jens

  • Reply

Submitted by Dave Y on Mon, 07/01/2013 - 10:22

yes

I would say management owns the culture and is responsible for it.  two observations:

 - A red flag would be when top managers think they need to change the culture from the bottom up - they are probably missing their own contribution

 - The bigger the company, the tighter the grip middle management has on the company culture and the bigger the job for top management and front ranks.

  • Reply

Add new comment

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.
Please login to comment.
      

© 2025 Quality Digest. Copyright on content held by Quality Digest or by individual authors. Contact Quality Digest for reprint information.
“Quality Digest" is a trademark owned by Quality Circle Institute Inc.

footer
  • Home
  • Print QD: 1995-2008
  • Print QD: 2008-2009
  • Videos
  • Privacy Policy
  • Write for us
footer second menu
  • Subscribe to Quality Digest
  • About Us
  • Contact Us