Just like nature has 4 elements (fire, water, air, earth), I see 7 essential, consistent elements across every organization… regardless if it’s 2 people or 200K, if it’s artisan jewelry or software engineering, you’ll find:
- Leadership & Management
- Decision Rights & Processes
- Talent Development
- Business Processes
- Roles & Responsibilities
- Knowledge Management
- Recognition & Rewards
Note – these are not functions or departments or titles. WE create each of those as structures to standardize, control and measure each element. Again… even in a business with just 2 people, information is collected and moves inside (KM), people get acknowledged and paid (R&Rs), there is oversight and direction (L&M), etc… informal, unorganized, and often unrecognized yet ALL are happening.
So what?
Each impacts what people work on, why they work, and most critically, how they work together (share, cooperate, and collaborate).
As organizations grow, these seven elements accumulate structure with rules, processes, and protocols. Yes, all are necessary for scaling but dangerous to connection and engagement when left unquestioned.
And when the 7 solidify, they don’t just serve to coordinate work, they quietly teach people how safe it is to speak, when to and if to share, and if to help one another.
So culture isn’t what an organization says they value, more it’s what these 7 elements and the systems supporting each make normal.