{"id":96344,"date":"2023-03-17T15:41:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-17T19:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=96344"},"modified":"2023-03-23T10:47:30","modified_gmt":"2023-03-23T14:47:30","slug":"how-to-assess-organizational-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-assess-organizational-culture\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Assess Organizational Culture as a Performance Coach"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Want to know how to assess organizational culture<\/a>? What tools can performance coaches use?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Sir John Whitmore, it’s important to assess organizational culture and your impact on it as a performance coach. In Coaching for Performance<\/em>, he provides valuable assessment tools to help performance coaches achieve this goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read on to learn how to assess organizational culture as a performance coach, according to Whitmore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

How to Assess Organizational Culture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As a pioneer of workplace coaching and co-creator of the popular GROW model, a coaching framework for goal-setting and performance improvement, Sir John Whitmore has made a name for himself in the realm of performance coaching<\/a>. In addition to explaining the new benefits of performance coaching<\/a>, Coaching for Performance<\/em>, the 5th edition of Whitmore\u2019s groundbreaking 1992 book, offers updated information on how to assess organizational culture as a performance coach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we\u2019ll discuss how to assess organizational culture, according to the advice that Whitmore offers to performance coaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Measuring Culture and Performance <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Whitmore says that to drive performance, leaders must understand their organization’s culture and its impact on performance and, as the performance coach, you<\/em> must understand the impact of your work on company performance. To assess organizational culture, you can use Whitmore\u2019s Performance Curve, while his Return on Investment (ROI) methodology can be used to measure the impact of your performance coaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Although \u201cperformance curve\u201d and \u201creturn on investment\u201d are common terms in many industries, here we\u2019re referring to the specific assessment tools Whitmore developed.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Performance Curve <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Performance Curve is a tool that helps you to assess organizational culture. It outlines four stages of organizations\u2019 cultural development and corresponding levels of performance that coaches and leaders should assess. Workers’ motivating force at each stage in the Performance Curve corresponds to the needs that drive people at each level on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stage 1: Impulsive<\/strong>. This stage is characterized by structureless chaos, inconsistency, and short-term thinking. Workers are motivated by survival. Performance is low. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this stage, coaches should focus on raising team members\u2019 self-awareness and awareness of others in the company and encourage them to be responsible for their work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stage 2: Dependent<\/strong>. This stage is characterized by a command-and-control mode of operation, low trust in authority, compliance, and risk aversion. Workers are motivated by the need to belong<\/a>. Performance is low to medium.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this stage, coaches should focus on empowering and encouraging team members<\/a> to take greater ownership of their work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stage 3: Independent<\/strong>. This stage is characterized by structures that support individual workers\u2019 and leaders\u2019 goals and workers\u2019 sense of autonomy, ownership, and drive to succeed. Workers are motivated by esteem. Performance is medium to high. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this stage, coaches should focus on broadening team members\u2019 perspectives beyond themselves and supporting their collaboration with colleagues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stage 4: Interdependent<\/strong>. This stage is characterized by teams running themselves, leaders supporting and inspiring them; strong collaboration, communication, and idea sharing; and a learning-centered culture. Workers are motivated by self-actualization. Performance is high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this stage, coaches should shift focus from supporting individual team members to overall team performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Whitmore doesn\u2019t detail how to do this kind of coaching, but experts say one way to support thriving teams is to have them regularly solicit peer feedback<\/a> to enhance their performance. For example, they can informally ask colleagues, \u201cWhat can we do even better in the future?\u201d This question keeps input positive, productive, and forward thinking.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Six Stages of the Life and Death of An Organizational Culture<\/strong>

Whitmore\u2019s four-stage Performance Curve can be used to assess organizational culture in terms of improvement and growth. In contrast, the Six Stages of Organizational Culture<\/a> model envisions the full life and death cycle of company cultures, which unfolds as follows:

Stage 1: Chaos<\/strong>. This stage is characterized by unpredictable change and instability\u2014the latter driven, in part, by impulsive behaviors of individual workers with little in common and no clear understanding of the organization\u2019s purpose.  

This stage is similar to the \u201cImpulsive\u201d stage of Whitmore\u2019s Performance Curve, where individuality and inconsistency are high and performance is low.  

Stage 2: Maturing<\/strong>. In this stage, workers settle into their roles. Individuals become a collective that shares characteristics, emotions, and behaviors.  

This stage is similar to Whitmore\u2019s \u201cIndependent\u201d stage, where individual workers understand their role and care about their work. Attunement to the needs and good of the collective have yet to be developed, but performance is relatively high.

Stage 3: Thriving<\/strong>. In this stage, the group establishes a culture through a shared belief in the organization and its purpose. New traditions, beliefs, and behaviors flourish. 

This stage is comparable to Whitmore\u2019s \u201cInterdependent\u201d stage. Individual workers understand their relationship to and impact on the collective. The culture is healthy and self-sustaining. Performance is high. 

Stage 4: Fracturing<\/strong>. In this stage, the culture peaks, innovation and success wane, and growth stops. The formerly cohesive group begins to doubt the organization and splinters.

Stage 5: Deterioration<\/strong>. In this stage, once-shared ideologies and social structures break down. The culture reverts to factioned interests of individual workers. 

Stage 6: Obsolescence<\/strong>. In this stage, belief in the organization is dead. The culture reverts to chaos. <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Measure the Return on Investment of Your Performance Coaching <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In addition to assessing organizational culture, you can use Whitmore\u2019s ROI to measure the effectiveness of your performance coaching work at maximizing<\/a> coachees\u2019 potential and performance and changing organizational culture<\/a>. This allows you to see the effectiveness and benefits of your performance coaching. Follow three steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1: When you begin work with your coachee, record\u2014and have them record\u2014the following information<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n