An example of how a decision impacts culture

Colleagues,

 An example of how a decision impacts culture

My mentor and founding reader of the daily email, the esteemed Dr. Jacque Jacobs (also an author of mysteries, which you can find here), shared the following:

High budget item: Reams of paper. HS principal doesn't talk with teachers, but limits every teacher to 4 reams of paper per quarter. In part to cut the budget but also to force teachers to use online materials. Result: Not every teacher needs even one ream of paper, so they give it to their colleagues (e.g. the English teacher). New decision by principal: Limit # of copies per teacher with admonition not to share your copy code. The teachers are demoralized… 

How can we understand this through a culture perspective?

• People: Communicates people to not have the right attitude (disposition) or skills to problem solve
  
• Purpose: Indicates the teacher role is being a cog in a machine
  
• Structure: Confines teachers who need the paper and forces them to find ways to work around the system, making it harder to focus on students
  
• Resources: obviously…
  

Looking at culture through the six dimensions lens helps us understand why the actions are so damaging to culture.

We’ll look at the flip side tomorrow.

Cheers!

​Frederick