Culture is the glue that helps people understand a lot of things about each other – in a very short period of time. We are able to make all sorts of quick observations by the way somebody talks, walks, smiles, pays the bills, etc.
That’s all fine – we all need to reduce clutter in how we deal with things. Culture is good to get everyone on the same page, and it’s fun when foreigners come so we can tell them nice stories.
The thing is – culture gets a lot more complicated in business. I think there’s a lot of battle going on about which culture fits best for work. There’s West vs. East, Top vs. Bottom, Boy vs. Girl, Rich vs. Poor, Profit vs. Purpose – all kinds of stuff.
I think the best way to deal with this is to fit in, or leave – and if you’re serving as an employer, you should watch out for these things the minute you start work at the company. The reason is because no one’s looking out for you, and the best person to know if you fit in is yourself.
There’s no point trying to change organizational behavior, UNLESS YOU’RE BEING PAID TO DO IT. The same reasons why people continue to operate under culture even though it doesn’t do good business is because it keeps things manageable. So, don’t bother changing the corporate culture. Change yourself instead, or move out.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with leaving a company, especially if you know darn well what you’re doing. If you don’t know what you’re doing, well … that’s a different story.
In this day and age, no one will ask you why you’ve been jumping companies like breeding rabbits – because everyone knows it’s a tough world out there and companies operate so differently these days with so many factors involved.
The average job seeker has more complex demands than 10 years ago, which is why we jump companies on an average of 2.5 years.
If you’ve been doing just that, THAT’S OK. You don’t have to feel bad. You know what you want in life – you know what skills you can bring onto the table – go for it. Live your life.
My only premise is that you have a powerful story to tell. One that provides meaning and purpose to explain the kind of person you are and the kind of job that matches your very being.