Each quarter, the KWSM team attends a professional development seminar led by an expert in their respective industry. Recently, we heard from Culture Index Executive Advisor, Tim O’Connor.
During this session, we learned how the Culture Index™ survey works to both identify traits of each individual’s work style and compare that data to the behaviors required in their job role. Using this survey, employees and executives alike can maximize areas in which their natural traits align with their current role for better effectiveness. At KWSM, we’re always trying to work within our ‘zone of genius’ – the area in which what we are good at and what we love to do overlap. Culture Index is a helpful tool in identifying a natural fit in job duties.
Here’s what we learned from our session with Tim.
What Is the Culture Index™?
The Culture Index provides a visual representation of where each person’s work traits fall on a spectrum compared to the mean of every individual who has taken the survey, which is indicated by a vertical red arrow. The traits measured consist of autonomy (A), social ability (B), patience (C), and conformity (D).
For example, here is a representation of my Survey Traits:
My survey shows that I am someone who naturally prefers to have the ability to collaborate with others and follow directions more than working alone and steering the ship myself (A/red), someone who places a high level of importance on people/relationships and maintaining likeability in the workplace (B/yellow), someone who likes to work at a methodical pace and work on one project at a time (C/blue), and someone who appreciates receiving details for projects but doesn’t feel stuck when there’s little information to go off of (D/green).
The survey doesn’t stop there – just as it provides a representation of an individual’s work traits, it also provides a second representation of the ways your work behaviors fluctuate over time and under pressure. When compared to the survey traits, this second graph can help leadership determine whether someone’s natural work style aligns with job requirements and assess how well they are adjusting to their roles. This allows managers to take a more individualized approach to help team members balance their energy. We all adjust our traits in certain situations – this is completely normal. Culture Index allows us to have insight into whether those adjustments are creating pressure for a team member.
Greater Insight for Managers
When it comes to the spectrum, no score is better than another. No matter where your traits and behaviors fall, you can provide great value to your team.
By looking at both graphs together, our leadership team can put people in positions where they are far more likely to thrive, providing a solid foundation for the agency.
Greater Self-Awareness for Employees
Before managers can effectively make shifts in the organization to optimize their employees’ workflow, it’s important for the team members themselves to understand how their individual wiring allows some tasks to come naturally and require less energy, while others seem more challenging and draining.
Team members who aren’t aware of their natural traits and optimized workflow might find themselves trying to fit a “circle personality type into a square-shaped role.” When this happens, it’s likely that they haven’t been given the proper tools to identify the traits they naturally possess and learn how they can adapt their behaviors to add unique value to the organization. We believe this knowledge empowers our team and allows them to do their best work.
To learn more about the Culture Index survey and how it can benefit your team, visit their website here.
Are you ready to join a team who values you as an individual?
We want to work with people who are passionate, social, and creative. If you can get excited and roll up your sleeves to serve our clients, we might be the work-family you’re looking for!
