Culture Chameleons

We all know that we’re shaped by our surroundings—our parents taught us this as an early age (who else got the “bad influence” speech?). As adults, it can be harder to leave workplace cultures that are harmful to us. It’s easy to stay with what you know in a job, even if it’s mildly uncomfortable.

Recently, I read this quote: “Culture is the accumulation of past learning and thus reflects successes, but some cultural assumptions and behavioral rituals can become so stable that they are difficult to unlearn even when they become dysfunctional” (Schein 1993, p. 87).

There is a LOT to unpack in that quote. Specifically in the context of adults in the workplace, I have been wondering—how much of our skills are actually culture-influenced rather than concrete and can’t be transferred to new places?

For example, workplaces generally have different etiquette around what to put in the subject line of your emails. (I learned this the hard way working in federal consulting.) Sending an email might seem like the most BASIC activity until you go to another workplace where they do things differently. How do you categorize these instances as cultural “unlearning” rather than a default of your own skillset?

I think it will take focus, but most importantly confidence. Excited to help affirm my client’s skills and start conversations about skill vs. culture.

Schein, E. H. (1993). How can organizations learn faster? The challenge of entering the green room. Sloan Management Review, 34(2), 85-92.