Culture open source

Your culture. How many organisations in the world still struggle with this concept. This intangible thing that apparently brings so much value but is damn difficult to control. Well, there is one of your problems. Your culture is like the wind, you can feel it, you can work with it, but you can’t control it. And that’s what happens most. We dream up mission statements, define the key values and dictate the way we operate. And too often this is all written for the ‘shadow’-side of the corporation. For the aspects we are not too good at…..

Now imagine taking a leap of faith. And think about open sourcing your culture. Because isn’t that what is is basically. Your culture is defined both within and outside off your buildings. Your employees go out every evening and are part of a completely different world, taking back impressions, ideas, wishes and dreams the next day.

Yep, open sourcing your culture can be done. It needs to be done! Even more remarkable it is being done by the Indian Google, Inmobi. They open source, coders as they are, their culture via a strong brand-like approach. The call their culture YaWiO. Loosely based on the Turkish, Sanskrit and Latin words for Imagination, Harmony and Action. The three words they use as their way of responding to the world and therefore put them into action via “Dream Big”, “Come together” and “Do It”. That’s something truly different than key values Western style!

If you want to open source your culture, remember that the pyramid is build from the bottom up. On the bottom is your philosophy. Is it clear, unique and strong enough to stand the test of cynicism and criticism. On the next level do you have enough mythology (stories) to sustain your philosophy? If so, do you build the rituals needed to sustain your culture the way your philosophy demands?!

Take a look at Inmobi.com if you want to know more but at least start re-thinking the old paradigm of inside/outside. It isn’t there anymore!