• The changing mindset of the organization
• Key elements of a changing environment
• Service or programmatic milestones
• Major resource changes

The histogram reveals connections between what the organization was thinking about and struggling with conceptually and the evolution of services,  the emergence of partnerships where none existed before, and the appearance of new funders or increases from current ones. 

We see mindset changes that go on around the organization - for example, a change in government policy which a year or two later results in either increased or decreased funding: depends upon the context. 

Histograms are excellent tools to help foster conversations across all levels of the organization. They work well to help newer staff truly understand that the significance of their organization's history is not to be found through a series of dates and associated blurbs that we typically find in a PowerPoint presentation.

Rather the meaning of history is gleaned through the conversations that ensue because of the histogram's display of key milestones and elements of the past. In doing so, not only do people develop a true understanding of their organization over time, but they are provided with the opportunity to celebrate the past while anticipating the future.
 

Culture as Strategy
No doubt you have heard the expression "culture eats strategy for breakfast" or something similar. And basically it's true. You can have the best, well crafted strategy but it will only be effective if the culture of the organization can and will support its implementation.

Culture is not usually identified as something we explicitly craft strategy about. We do that indirectly because any strategy that is about change will challenge the beliefs, norms, and relationships in an organization.  Cultural change in those instances is more a byproduct of strategy than an intentional effort to change who we are, what we believe, or what we stand for.



There are at least two types of cultural strategies to consider. One is all about undertaking deliberate actions to achieve a new or enhanced norm in the organization. The other type is about digging deep to understand the key cultural enablers of the organization and taking explicit actions to preserve, enhance or expand on them.

What are cultural enablers? They are a blend of values, beliefs, and actions so fundamental to the identify of the organization they manifest naturally. They make up the atmosphere the organization breathes.  

One of my clients identified its multi-disciplinary approach as one of its key cultural enablers. Its emergence as a "way of being" was actually tracked through the histogram approach mentioned earlier.
Through conversation we could see when and where and how the organizations's multi-disciplinary approach surfaced first as a challenge, then a proto-typed approach, and then over time became engrained in the organization's DNA. 

Strategies often change because of environmental shifts, a funder's change of mind, or a change in government. An organization's culture is less vulnerable to such shifts; however, in turbulent times understanding our cultural enablers will help to hold us steadfast to who we are and what we stand for, despite strategies that come and go.


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