Culture metaphors
Most organisations still make culture too hard to understand and if something is hard to understand, then it’s hard to put into practice.
When helping people to decode culture I find that metaphors are invaluable. Metaphors make a connection between everyday life and (potentially) complex concepts.
So here are some simple culture metaphors you can steal:
Purpose is like a beating heart, it’s the reason we exist
Vision is like a north star showing us the way and guiding our decisions
Mission is like a menu of things we do
Values are like fingerprints, they are unique to us and show up everywhere
Behaviours are like costumes, we get to choose how we ‘look’ everyday
Collaboration is like bees working together to make honey
Innovation is like planting seeds in a garden - some flower beautifully whilst others die
Technology is like a Swiss Army knife where the skill lies in knowing which tool to use and when
Feedback is like looking at yourself in the mirror, you might not notice things that are obvious
Courageous conversations are like crossing a bridge over choppy waters. You have to leave the safety behind without knowing what lies on the other side
Prioritisation is like packing for a trip. You only have limited space so you need to think carefully about what’s most important
I’d love to hear what metaphors you use!
