17: Uncovering Culture

On today’s show, Chong and Dan temporarily get into sports (American football). We use this as a launching point to talk about organisational culture. What is it, how is it created and sustained, and how can we affect it? Culture is a powerful and invisible force driving the behaviour of every collective human endeavour. We look at examples from the real world, including Dan’s personal and professional observations of how a culture of outward righteousness and inward spiritual emptiness can be perpetuated within the church 🔥🔥

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Show notes

A story about sports (2:14)

Super Bowl LI: A loss that made grown men cry

What is (organisational) culture? (9:22)

• Culture is to a group what personality is to an individual
• Guides behaviour; based on shared norms; below the surface; powerful impact

The Curse of Culture

How is culture created and sustained? (18:36)

• Repeated success in implementing group beliefs and values
• Examples: Australian Parliament and Apple Inc.

Inside the Toxic Sexist Culture of Australia’s Political Bubble

Bad church culture: the “dutiful Christian” (32:20)

• “As long as I show up to church and serve every now and then, then I’m OK with God”
• However, this does not help people know and enjoy God; it does the opposite

How do we affect culture? (43:48)

• Strategy; stories and symbols; habits; operating model; rewards and consequences; leadership

Conclusion (1:04:22)

• Culture is all around us; we can’t avoid it, but we can be aware of it and try to understand it

Chapters

• 2:14 A story about sports
• 9:22 What is (organisational) culture?
• 18:36 How is culture created and sustained?
• 32:20 Bad church culture: the “dutiful Christian”
• 43:48 How do we affect culture?
• 1:04:22 Conclusion