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A recent article in the MIT Sloan Management Review looks at the importance of “unconditional” company culture.

It defines “Big C” culture as “a commitment that the organization makes to each and every employee about what they can expect it to feel like to work at the organization, no matter what team they’re on, no matter where they work, and no matter where they land in the org chart.”

In our era of rapid change, this is key. The article also notes:

“Defining, creating, and strengthening a company culture can enhance alignment, connection, and even employee retention.”

For arts and culture organizations, I would add donor, member, visitor, and loyal superfan retention.

The key factors in establishing and sustaining meaningful organizational culture include:

Differentiating

I can tell you from having worked with arts organizations across the spectrum of discipline, size, location, and history, no two are alike. There isn’t one culture for museums, another for symphony orchestras. So what sets your organization apart? How is it experienced internally? And how do your members, donors, audiences, and the public see you as distinct?

Clear

What’s your motto? It may sound corny, but when an entire organization can repeat a clear and simple statement that describes how you work together and how your work gets done, it will begin to show up in actions and interactions. Being catchy isn’t enough though, it must also be…

Credible

Culture that isn’t felt isn’t effective. The words that describe organizational culture are only realized through action, and if employees or patrons hear one thing but experience another, it’s time to reexamine…and head back to the drawing board.

Consistent

A commitment is more than a tagline, it’s a promise. All of the stakeholders who engage with your organization–the internal and the external–want to know what they can expect from you. Not just the ‘what’ though, but also the ‘why’ and even the ‘how.’ This is the line that differentiates the excellent from the merely ordinary.

Organizations that can rise above well-meaning talking points to achieve what this article calls “big C” culture, are in a better place when facing the headwinds of change.