Why you should be thinking about organisational climate rather than culture

Work environments are dynamic and constantly evolving. It’s crucial our approach to fostering high performance mirrors this

Joseph Zeratzion, a leadership and performance consultant and the founder of Coaching Lens, specialises in learning and development with a focus on conflict resolution and communication. His unique approach helps individuals, organisations, and businesses achieve an optimal climate for high performance, recognising that the ever-changing nature of business requires adaptability and effective interaction. 

Emphasising climate over culture 

Joseph argues it is important to differentiate between climate and culture in a business environment. He believes that while culture implies a static set of norms and values, climate represents the dynamic environment within which businesses operate. This distinction is crucial as it underscores the importance of equipping businesses with the skills to navigate continuous change. According to Joseph, the quality of internal and external interactions is what ultimately ensures a business produces a high-quality product. 

Key strategies for effective leadership and team management 

A significant aspect of Joseph’s work involves management and leadership training. One of his foundational strategies is fostering accountability within teams by creating robust processes. Accountability encourages dependency and growth, ensuring that team members take ownership of their roles and responsibilities. 

Joseph addresses a common issue in many organisations: the tendency to sweep problems under the rug. This avoidance often stems from the way individuals are conditioned to communicate with authority figures, both in their personal and professional past. He identifies two prevalent leadership styles: the parent-child relationship, where leaders withhold information to protect employees; and the adult relationship, where transparency is prioritised. The latter, Joseph argues, is essential for building trust and fostering a collaborative environment. 

The importance of transparent communication 

Fear of confronting issues with leaders can also result in employees hiding issues, particularly the fear of job loss or being dismissed when raising concerns. This problem becomes more pronounced as companies grow. Joseph highlights that as businesses scale, especially beyond 50 employees, disconnects between teams and employers often emerge. Effective scaling involves not only managing products and finances but also nurturing the organisational climate. 

Joseph uses the analogy from the book There’s No Such Thing as a Dragon by Jack Kent to illustrate the dangers of ignoring problems. In the story a small dragon grows into a house-sized menace because it is ignored. By acknowledging issues early, organisations can prevent minor problems from escalating into major crises. 

Practical solutions for improving organisational climate 

One of Joseph’s key practices is the regular reset. He recommends that businesses hold quarterly meetings with their immediate teams to ask three fundamental questions: what’s working? What’s not working? And what do we need to do differently? This exercise encourages open dialogue and continuous improvement. 

Joseph also stresses the importance of transparent communication. Leaders who share comprehensive information about the business with their employees face less resistance and gain more buy-in for shared goals. An open-door policy, often claimed by leaders but rarely utilised by employees, needs to be actively promoted to support this. Leaders should ‘mine’ for engagement with their employees by asking open-ended questions to elicit genuine responses and insights, as opposed to simply asking ‘does anyone have any questions?’ 

Building trust within teams 

Joseph defines trust using renowned author Charles Green’s formula: trust = credibility + reliability + intimacy ÷ self-orientation. To build trust, leaders need to enhance their credibility, reliability, and intimacy while reducing self-orientation. Effective communication is central to achieving this balance. 

An example of credibility being compromised is the scheduling of unnecessary meetings, which not only reduce productivity but also erode trust in leadership. Instead, meetings should be meaningful and necessary, ensuring that team members feel their time is valued and respected. 

Reliability is linked to setting clear expectations. Joseph advises establishing ‘agreement expectations’ rather than relying on assumptions based on personal and professional experiences. By agreeing on mutual expectations together, teams can avoid miscommunications and ensure everyone is on the same page. 

Intimacy, though challenging to address in professional settings, is crucial for building trust. Joseph facilitates this by sharing the dragon story and encouraging team members to reflect on times they ignored problems that subsequently grew. This approach fosters openness and honesty. He also promotes real, honest one-to-one interactions and uses tools like the Manual of Me, which helps team members understand each other’s communication styles and preferences. 

Actionable insights from Joseph’s approach 

Prioritise climate over culture: emphasising the dynamic nature of organisational climate will help your business adapt to continuous change and maintain high performance. 

Foster accountability: implement processes that promote accountability within your team, encouraging members to take ownership of their roles and responsibilities to others. 

Encourage transparency: leaders should adopt an adult-to-adult communication style, sharing comprehensive information with employees to build trust and collaboration. 

Implement regular resets: hold quarterly meetings to evaluate what’s working, what isn’t, and what needs to change. This practice promotes continuous improvement and open dialogue. 

Ask open-ended questions: replace closed questions with open-ended ones to encourage genuine responses and insights from employees. 

Build trust through communication: enhance credibility, reliability, and intimacy while reducing self-orientation. Intentional and meaningful communication is key to achieving this balance. 

Set clear expectations: establish agreement expectations to avoid miscommunications and ensure everyone knows what is expected of them. 

Promote intimacy: use stories and reflective exercises to foster openness and honesty within teams. Tools like the Manual of Me can help team members understand and work better with each other. 

Joseph’s approach, centred on effective communication and trust-building, provides valuable insights for businesses seeking to enhance their organisational climate. By adopting these strategies, leaders can create a more transparent, accountable, and high-performing environment, ultimately leading to stronger relationships, collaboration, and optimal levels of productivity. 

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