how to identify your work culture

"Just change the culture" sounds easy but is viciously difficult. Culture change is dependent on buy-in from staff. If you don't get that buy-in you are doomed to failure. In our world of increasing demands for accountability, both internal and external, the potential is present for change and buy-in to occur.

I always thought one should start with identifying the culture within which you work. Application of contemporary sociological theory was extremely helpful in determining what sub-groups and splinter groups existed within the library. I'm not suggesting using one theory to highlight the culture but multiple theories to create the best possible picture of what is happening within your library. And don't feel you have to limit theory to sociological approaches. Feel free to expand into other fields.

How do you get this to happen? Well, do your staff have to publish for renewal and promotion? Do you have someone with a sociological background? Other background that might be relevant? You could approach this person to see if they would be willing to write a paper based on applied sociological theory to this particular context?

Or, you could do a survey such as the one done by Carol Shepston and Lyn Currie (reported on at CLA 2006 as The Leadership Agenda: Paving the Way for New Academic Librarians) that investigated "new and established librarians perceptions of factors in the workplace which support or hinder effective work performance", thus creating a picture of the organizational structure from two perspectives.

Don't forget you may also read the literature, especially those with such handy titles as Diagnosing and changing organizational culture: based on the competing values framework by Kim S. Cameron and Robert Quinn, John Wiley & Sons, 2005.