The culture perception gap
You’ve been lying to yourself.
You think you know what’s going on in your business. You tell yourself that you understand the culture, know how people behave and have a firm grasp on how things are done when you’re not looking. But deep down in the pit of your stomach, you know the truth. While you’re announcing confidently to the world how collaborative, innovative and dynamic your environment is, you find yourself wondering, “Are we really?”
The reality is that all leaders see a version of their company. The full picture remains beyond their grasp. Because of your position, information is filtered before it comes to you, sometimes consciously, sometimes subconsciously. People behave differently when you’re there, moderating their actions to fit into the mould they think you want to see. This is normal. McKinsey’s research has found that while 28% of leaders say they’re aware of toxic behaviour in their teams, 76% of employees say they’ve observed it, meaning nearly half of the time, there are things taking place without your knowledge that you wouldn’t like to see. There’s a perception gap between the culture you think you have and the one that really exists. Bridging this gap is crucial.
You may never make it all the way across the culture perception gap, but if you want to affect meaningful change, you must try. Otherwise, you’ll fix the problem that isn’t and the real issues will remain, because you can’t improve what you don’t understand. If you fail to bridge the gap, you’re risking poor engagement, high levels of churn, lack of trust and ultimately, inability to deliver on your potential. Understanding what’s really happening in your organisation is a strategic priority.
Begin by gathering insights. Use different methods and approaches to do so, making sure you mix quantitative information like pulse surveys and anonymous diagnostics with qualitative data from one to one conversations, skip-level meetings and observing behaviour. Review the tone and intent of your policies and documentation, and challenge your assumptions. Stay conscious of the perception gap, and seek to find the things you don’t understand.
Then, develop a hypothesis. From your insights, make the perception gap concrete. Put together a theory about how the culture differs from what you thought it was, put yourself in the shoes of your team and identify the biggest disconnects between leadership and the team. Take your theory back to the business, and ask people you trust whether your ideas resonate. If they agree, consistently, you know what to work on. If they don’t, head back to the drawing board. Don’t be precious about being correct. Seek instead to understand. The purpose of this exercise is to challenge your mistaken assumptions - it may take more than one iteration.
When you arrive at a point of clarity, bring your team together to co-design the future. Having identified issues, enroll them in finding solutions. Design systems to reinforce the right behaviours, recognise and reward actions that align with your Values and train leaders to role model the culture you want to build.
Truth is a leadership practice. The culture perception gap exists, but it doesn’t need to be permanent and malignant. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, but ignoring it is deadly. Accept it and acknowledge the importance of closing it. Ask what mistaken assumptions you’re making about your culture. Investigate the truth behind those assumptions.
That truth will set you free.
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