Finished 08/11/2024

The Culture Code

Daniel Coyle

⭐⭐⭐

Recommended by PM Lotte, on open and transparent culture in a company. Worth reading for a softer view; I am glad she recommended it. I like the idea.

Nice little book. Short, compact, with stories of tight-knit teams and a couple of interesting tips on how to communicate to achieve good results. Nothing exceptional.

Build Safety. Share Vulnerability. Establish Purpose. Show that people are safe, show vulnerability, use a mantra to give a clear objective.

Notes

We tend to focus on individual skills, the visible stuff. But that is not what drives results. Teamwork does.
Kindergarten vs MBA example: the MBA students spent too much time organizing priorities and setting rules about who is in control. The kindergartners felt safe and communicated quickly.
There are people who radiate calm and safety, who know how to listen. Be one of them.
Hearing something does not always lead to action. Seeing someone do it and show confidence does.
When you feel part of a group, your brain’s amygdala no longer feels in danger and you can finally focus. That is why the main focus should be to build safety first.
A place with strong group dynamics is not just a happy place. It is a place where opinions are sincere and honest, even direct, and said to help others. That is why candid feedback is so useful for creating safety.
“High communicators” help create the best groups. People who listen, then connect. Like Allen at Bell Labs.
More on sitting close and communicating, working together (like at Pixar, creatives next to directors).
On vulnerability: communicate your feelings. Show when you have felt worry or fear.
Overcommunicate your listening. Show that you listen: open eyes, head tilted, uh-huhs of approval, DO NOT INTERRUPT.
Still on vulnerability: show you are open to critique. Like “What did I not understand?” “What am I missing?”
Say thank you. A lot. Always.
Negative feedback: in private, through dialogue. Ask if you can give feedback, and say it candidly and calmly, focusing on how we can improve.
Short-burst communication. See our debug thread. That is how an efficient team communicates (and kids or pilots, for example).
Vulnerability loop. If you send a signal and the other sends one back, OK, you are in. It is contagious.
Soldier plan B story. OK, a superior does not listen and you must obey? Still plan a plan B.
Establish Purpose: like a mantra. Take a slogan, a set of rules (like the Johnson & Johnson Credo), and stick to it. Set priorities.
Keep a simple set of rules (like customer first, then us) to follow in every decision.
It is also important to have a story, be proud of it, and reinforce it as you go.
Questions to ask yourself according to the IDEO leader
- What am I doing that you would like me to keep doing?
- What am I not doing enough?
- What can I do to make you more effective?
Be very precise in repeating your ideas. Leaders think everyone has understood, but they have not. Repeat, repeat, repeat, especially the purpose.