Where Strategy and Culture Meet

Peter Drucker, the unofficial “Father of Modern Management”, had this to say about project plans: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”

To which I say… ouch. But also—accurate. The best-laid plans come to naught if a project manager fails to understand the nuances of a company’s organizational culture.

Company culture plays a pivotal role in the execution of any initiative. Most obviously, a strong, positive organizational culture attracts great people and facilitates employee retention, both of which make a Project Manager’s job easier in all of the predictable ways.

More subtly, a company culture centered on employee engagement will probably reflect that in its processes, insisting on multiple checkpoints in the project lifecycle for employees to offer feedback. Project Managers that fail to prepare themselves for this approach are destined for trouble, especially if they’re used to executing projects on expedited timelines with limited input from the client or company.

So, yes, getting a pulse on company culture is essential, but how does a Project Manager go about doing that?

For starters, they should be able to answer questions like:
- How do people usually share credit at this company?
- How do managers support and motivate their team?
- What are the company’s mission and value statements?
- When and how do team members give feedback to each other?
- What are some of the ways the company celebrates success?

It’s also key to understand your own impact. Any Project Manager working with/for a particular company becomes a change agent for that company. The best way to ensure a positive change is to sit down with management (physically or virtually) at the start of a project lifecycle so that you can best understand what is expected of you, and how you can make the most of the opportunity.

Change is inevitable. Structure your project properly, and success will be too.