The topic of culture and climate is one of the top agenda items for the Army’s senior leaders. Unit or organizational culture and climate—or command climate—is, by definition, an integral part of everyday life in the Army. Every unit, formation, company and command has a culture, which is an outcome or result of the climate, which in turn is set and reinforced by leaders.
Arguably, nothing is more important in the Army than unit culture. It informs and influences everything that happens in a unit.
The culture of an organization is often defined as or referred to in terms like norms, beliefs, values, processes, artifacts or traditions. Although these words accurately describe culture, they are abstract, vague and not really helpful in highlighting the importance of culture and climate in an organization, or understanding the “how do we get there” to achieve the best culture and climate.
Overused and Misunderstood
It can be argued that culture and climate have become buzzwords that are either meaningless or too vague, philosophical or academic. Or the words may be too complex and not clearly understood. There even seems to be a “they,” or third-person aspect, to the words, as in, “I’m not responsible for the culture in this unit, they are.”
Although culture and climate are staples of organizational development literature, Harvard and Wharton business schools, the Center for the Army Profession and Leadership and the U.S. Army War College, arguably the words “culture and “climate” aren’t passing muster, for the reasons mentioned above.
To help clarify and address ongoing leadership challenges in the Army, maybe we should stop using the words “climate” and “culture.” Recent events at Fort Hood, Texas, to include two 1st Cavalry Division brigade commanders being relieved of command in October, speak to the ongoing leadership and culture challenges in the Army. We often hear that commanders are relieved due to a “loss of confidence” in them. What that really means is there is a loss of confidence in their behaviors.
When one thinks in-depth about what culture and climate are, look like and sound like, they are about the behaviors of humans in an organization. Behaviors of unit members make up the culture and climate in that unit. Behaviors of leaders in that organization have a vitally important role in that climate and culture.
Importance of Words
Much of the literature and teachings on climate and culture use words and phrases that include processes, systems, artifacts (often something hanging on a wall), values, beliefs, ethics and traditions.
Where do processes, systems, artifacts, values, beliefs, ethics and traditions come from? Do they create themselves? Of course not. People create them. How people in an organization talk, listen, think and behave is the culture and climate in that organization.
This point is not trivial. Processes, systems, artifacts, traditions, values, beliefs and ethics come from humans. They don’t just magically appear. Certainly history, tradition, religion, philosophy and other disciplines can inform how humans think and behave, but at the end of day and in practice, culture and climate are a result of human behaviors.
Leaders in the Army should make this point as clearly as possible—culture and climate are not abstract terms. They are a direct reflection and result of human behaviors.
For example, just like a drone is a system and how it is ethically employed involves a process, both the system (the drone) and how it is employed are developed, built, guided, lead, thought about, discussed, updated, changed and assessed by human beings. How a brigade commander or sergeant major provides feedback to a subordinate for a poorly executed training event is an example of that senior leader’s values and beliefs. If they choose to embarrass and ridicule the subordinate in front of their unit, that behavior most likely will be accepted, and others can model it.
Notice how we did not use the terms “screaming” or “yelling” in this example. We used “embarrass” and “ridicule.” There is a difference. A leader can scream or yell while still not embarrassing or ridiculing a subordinate.
Maybe this definition of organizational culture is more helpful and useful: the worst behavior that will be tolerated in an organization.
Leading by Example
How soldiers train, treat each other and perform is a result or outcome of the way unit leaders behave. Behavior drives behavior, which really is about leading by example. And the sum of all the behaviors in a unit equals culture.
Those in the leadership development world might criticize the assertion that the words themselves are the challenge. They might correctly note that there is so much more depth to the words “culture” and “climate.” And they are right. Words like trust, character, competence, shared purpose and vision, ethics, workplace environment and more are important aspects of culture and climate.
However, if the Army really wants to teach, develop and improve culture and climate, it should be emphasized that the quality of interactions between people in an organization creates and reinforces climate and culture.
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Lt. Col. Harry Garner, U.S. Army retired, is an assistant professor in the Department of Command and Leadership, U.S. Army Command and General Staff School, Fort Belvoir Campus, Virginia. During his 24-year Army career, he served in a variety of command and staff positions in the continental U.S. and Europe. He has a master’s in public administration from James Madison University, Virginia, and a master’s in education and human development from George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
Lt. Col. Joe Doty, U.S. Army retired, is executive director of the Feagin Leadership Program, Duke University School of Medicine, North Carolina. Previously, he served as deputy director for the then-Center for the Army Professional Ethic. He commanded at the battalion level. He holds a doctorate in character education from the University of Northern Colorado.