Culture in a team

@edolopezMarch, 2014

Culture in a team

1. What is culture?2. Core Values.3. Define ourselves.4. Rituals.5. Defending the culture.6. Culture can change.7. Complexity in a culture.

What is culture?

Culture in general

“Culture is a set of values manifesting through behaviour and ritual. [...] the arts and other manifestations of human

intellectual achievement regarded collectively.” [1]

[1] Creating a great corporate culture: http://www.startupblender.com/competitive-strategy/creating-a-great-corporate-culture

… manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively.

Case study

Imagine you are a foreigner in a random country. People will start to ask:● Where are you from?● What do you usually eat?● What are people common clothes?● Are tacos like Taco Bell’s?● Is it true the horses and sombreros?● Hell Yeah! Virgin De Guadalupe & Red

Tecate.

What is culture in a team?

Beyond the clothes

Beyond the walls

Beyond ping pong tables

Beyond recreation

Culture in a company

“It is pattern of basic assumptions and beliefs, the learned behaviors, shared values and

norms that define the work in an organization”. (Schein, E. 2006, Organizational Culture and

Leadership)

Products/Services

Culture

Mission

Vision

Impact pyramid in a company and its team

Define why we exist,what we defend, andwhat we pursue.

Some examples of (core) values

Responsability

● Self Motivation.● Team can be aware.● Discipline emerges.● Continuous improvement.● Everybody acts like a leader.● No one waits to be told what to do.● All team members can “pick up the trash

when is on the floor”.

Define ourselves

What are the 3 values that come to your mind when somebody asks for Icalia Labs?

Can be a single value: Responsibility, CuriosityCan be a phrase with context: Embrace and drive change.

Take 15 minutes after this session...

Core values proposal

1. Passion.2. Fun.3. Curiosity.4. Respect.5. Responsability.6. Teamwork.7. Communication.8. Gratitude.9. Humility.

A list of values● Passion.

● Fun.

● Dedication.

● Courage.

● Curiosity

● Learning.

● Respect.

● Discipline.

● Doers, Thinkers and Questioners.

● Responsibility.

● Empathy.

● Innovation.

● Creativity.

● Freedom.

● Honesty.

● Teamwork.

● Coupled disciplines.

● Communication.

● Hard workers.

● Open

● Transparency.

● Gratitude.

● Identity and membership.

● Humble.

● Stay young.

● Sociocratics.

● Care about clients, not about

competition.

● Serendipity.

● Agile, lean.

Rituals supporting the values

Rituals

● For each value, there should be rituals promoting and supporting them correctly.

● For example: ○ If a value is Collaboration, how are we promoting

teamwork between the projects, teams and members?

○ If a value is Fun, are we really having fun in our daily activities? How can we get to that point?

The right team

The right team

● Team & Leaders are going to defend the values.

● A new member should be engaged with the culture, and culture should accept him.

● In some places, all members need to accept the entrance of a new one.

● Everybody should communicate with transparency.

● Beyond values in walls, people have values in their mindset.

The team should form the culture DNA.

"You can’t motivate people, you can only create a context in which people are motivated".

Prepare for changes

Culture can change throughout time as a company grows.

From small teams

To big teams

Or HUGE teams

Culture can be complex

● How this can work on a remote team or distributed company?

● Imagine people working in different countries, with different customs, time zones, and that have never seen each other face to face.

● How can we remember all this things in a simple and beautiful way? MANIFESTO.

Complexity in a culture

Remote culture

Some examples

● International Retreats: bring people together often.

● Tools to have less asynchronous conversation.

● 1 on 1’s once a week via hangouts.

Conclusion

Thanks!Q&A?

@edolopez@icalialabs

“Mediocre work or unchallenging work is what kills progress of person's skills.”

References

● Netflix culture: http://www.slideshare.net/reed2001/culture-1798664

● Buffer culture: http://www.slideshare.net/Bufferapp/buffer-culture-04

● 37 Signals manifesto: http://37signals.com/37signals.html● Creating a great corporate culture: http://www.

startupblender.com/competitive-strategy/creating-a-great-corporate-culture

● 5 tips building startup culture: http://www.techinasia.com/5-tips-building-startup-culture/

● Startup Culture: http://mashable.com/2013/08/09/startup-culture/