THEORY 47

HANDY’S MODEL OF ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE (CROWN AS KING)

Use Handy’s organisational culture questionnaire when you want to get a quick overview of your culture and how you feel about it.

Charles Handy suggests that all organisational cultures comprise four different sub-cultures. It is the precise mix/influence of these sub-cultures that produce the organisation’s unique culture. The sub-cultures are:

Club (or power)
A spider’s web portrays this culture. The spider is all powerful and if they move the web shakes and everyone jumps. In club cultures, power resides with one person or a small elite.		 Role (or bureaucratic)
A Greek temple describes this culture. Each pillar of the temple represents a key function/department. The organisation’s structure is hierarchical and staff are expected to work to their job description and follow laid-down rules and procedures.
Task (or team)
A net represents this culture. Teamwork is extensively used to resolve problems. On completion of the task the team is disbanded.		 Existential (or individual)
Stars in the firmament portray this culture. It’s based on individuals whose allegiance to the organisation is overridden by their own individual needs. Barristers’ chambers typify this type of culture.

Although elements of all four cultures will be present in every organisation’s culture it is likely that one will dominate the others.

HOW TO USE IT

  • Use Handy’s questionnaire from the Gods of Management (available online) to identify your organisation’s culture and any mismatch between it and the type of culture you would like to work in.
  • If you are happy to work in the culture then identify a successful manager within your organisation. Analyse how they behave, and model your behaviours on what they do.
  • In a club culture your authority, power and credibility will depend upon your relationship with the central power source, be that an individual or group. To succeed you have to become a member of the ‘in-group’ (see Theory 20) and do things in a way it approves of.
  • In a role culture the expert who understands the organisation’s rules and procedures has tremendous power and influence. Therefore, no matter how boring it is, study the organisation’s rules, regulations and procedures and know how to use them to your benefit.
  • Task cultures offer young managers the opportunity to shine. Volunteer to chair any team that reports to the senior management. If you’re a senior manager use the establishment of teams as a way of developing and rewarding your own staff (see Section 5).
  • In every organisation there are a few people who believe that the organisation exists for their benefit. Having one or two of these eccentrics around can be useful as they often think outside the box. However, as manager you need to harness their abilities while controlling their excesses.

QUESTIONS TO ASK

  • What is the organisation’s dominant culture?
  • What are the implications of the organisation’s culture for my management style?
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