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If you are not familiar with the culture audit, consider examples from the societal level of your experience. Some are found in professions with a long history of same-gender workers such as fire departments, or police (A). Their cultures were originally built around the men who worked there. And then women joined these forces. Besides reconfiguring the sleeping quarters in the firehouse, for example, what critical shifts in understanding, acceptance, teamwork, and hierarchies must be managed? How could a culture audit enable a smooth transition to an even stronger and more effective fire fighting force?

What must it have been like for the first male nurse to join a hospital staffed with women in that role (B)? What steps can we hope the hospital took to ensure a smooth transition for the man and acceptance by his female co-workers, the doctors, and the patients?

And what about Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, the policy established in 1993 that restricts the U.S. military from revealing closeted gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members, while barring those who are openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual from military service ©? As we go to press, our Congress has just repealed Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. A 10-month large-scale cultural audit was carefully structured and undertaken. It revealed that the majority of stakeholders are accepting of all service members and see no reason to continue this policy. The terms of the repeal require that U.S. military chiefs certify that no harm will be done to the military as a result (Lockhead and Aylward).

In Summary

The culture audit is a powerful tool for change. Long part of the Performance Architect’s arsenal, we share it here because the rollercoaster of commerce shows no signs of slowing. All of us with consultative roles in the workplace can help clients realize their goals with an enhanced understanding of the organizational culture in which they work.

1. How would you get people to participate in the audit and why?

2. What parameters would you provide to people who participate and why?

3. What would make this audit successful and what would cause it to fail?

4. What results would you provide and why?

5. What would you do if they were