In our day-to-day decisions, we are strongly influenced by what others say and do, but that, the behaviour of others that we can observe, is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. What lies beneath the surface, the drivers for behaviour, is equally important. As any seafarer knows, it’s the ice below the surface that sinks ships.
This metaphor, the iceberg, is often used in relation to understanding behaviour and organisational culture. There are many variations of the iceberg model, but the general idea is that the conscious behaviour that we can observe – what people say and do – is just a small part of what’s relevant, the tip of the iceberg. Beneath the surface are our beliefs and values of which we may or may not be aware, such as our thoughts, feelings, assumptions, fears and needs. This set of beliefs and values drives our behaviour (the ‘why’) and is the filter through which we observe and interpret behaviour of others.
The tip of the iceberg, visible behaviour, comprises action, but also refraining from taking action: not participating, not intervening, implicit expectations and ‘quiet quitting’. These forms of passive behaviour are easily overlooked, but the impact on the organisational culture is huge.
As a result, when an organisation wants to change its culture, for example because there is a need or desire to become more diverse and inclusive, it is vital to not only look at how people act, but to also pay close attention to forms of passive behaviour and to what’s beneath the surface of that type of behaviour, the ‘why’. Let me give you two examples to illustrate the impact of (the reasons for) passive behaviour: the dynamics of business meetings and the onboarding of new hires.
Example 1 – the dynamics of business meetings
A directive management style can lead to meetings where agenda items are presented together with a proposed decision or outcome, followed by the question if anyone has any suggestions or concerns. This will typically result in only a few people voicing their opinion and the others remaining silent. The ‘why’ of people that refrain from speaking their mind varies, e.g. the belief that what they think is not relevant or important enough, the fear of not being taken seriously (or worse) because of who they are or the position they hold or the assumption that there is no point in saying anything because the outcome has already been determined. When meetings are conducted in this way, this does not only result in flawed decision making because (potential vital) input is missed, but it also adversely affects the performance of the ‘silent majority’. People that don’t feel included, valued or seen will typically not live up to their potential and be less successful.
Example 2 – the onboarding of new hires
As part of the onboarding process, joiners will receive information about the company and their role. What they don’t hear, is what the informal structures look like and what the unspoken rules are. Often times, people don’t realise the extent to which this invisible but very present part of a company’s culture determines how they interact with each other. This is especially true for homogenous organisations: not wanting to or not being able to adjust to the majority means that you will not fit in and you will not be able to function properly.
Being deliberate about addressing forms of passive behaviour, or not, materially impacts the company’s culture. More and more companies are looking at their culture as part of initiatives aimed at attracting and retaining talent. This starts with an (objective) analysis of the good and the bad of the existing culture and the underlying ‘why’. Transformation can only be successful if also the forms of passive behaviour are identified and taken into account in the desired change.