What’s Your

Organization’s
Cultural Profile?
Before you begin an initiative to shape your
ON A SCALE OF 1–5, RATE HOW WELL EACH OF THESE STATEMENTS
organization’s culture, it’s important to DESCRIBES YOUR ORGANIZATION.
explore where it is today. This worksheet 1 = NOT AT ALL WELL 2 = NOT VERY WELL 3 = SOMEWHAT WELL 4 = VERY WELL 5 = EXTREMELY WELL
and the questions that follow can help you THE ORGANIZATION THE ORGANIZATION TOTAL
formulate a preliminary assessment of your IS FOCUSED ON: FEELS LIKE:
culture and get the conversation started. COLLABORATION AND A BIG CARING
Consider how your organization currently MUTUAL TRUST FAMILY
operates, what is valued, how people behave, and 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
what unifies them. Partner with a colleague and COMPASSION AND AN IDEALISTIC PURPOSE
independently rate each statement according TOLERANCE COMMUNITY OR CAUSE
to how well it describes your organization. 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
Add the two ratings in each row and then rank LEARNING
EXPLORATION AND A DYNAMIC PROJECT
the eight styles. The higher the total, the stronger CREATIVITY
the match. 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
Compare your rankings with your colleague’s and
FUN AND A CELEBRATION ENJOYMENT
discuss the following questions: EXCITEMENT

What do you like most about the current culture? 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

ACHIEVEMENT AND A MERITOCRACY RESULTS
What behaviors and mindsets might you evolve? WINNING

How effective are your organization’s leaders at role 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

modeling the culture? STRENGTH AND A COMPETITIVE AUTHORITY
BOLDNESS ARENA
What are the characteristics of people who are most 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
successful in your culture?
PLANNING AND A METICULOUSLY SAFETY
When new people don’t succeed in your culture, what CAUTION PLANNED OPERATION
is the most common reason? 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
STRUCTURE AND A SMOOTHLY RUNNING ORDER
STABILITY MACHINE
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

TO SEE AN EXPANDED VERSION OF THE ASSESSMENT, GO TO THIS ARTICLE AT HBR.ORG.

HBR Reprint R1801B

JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2018 HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW 53