Is software culture something to aspire to for
continued success?
We all love our laptops, smartphones and
tablets working harmoniously through the cloud on a daily basis. We see
software engineers as those special types whose obsession with Star Wars comes
from the fact that when it comes to software, they ARE the Jedi!!!
So what kind of industry culture has this
epicentre of awesomeness got and will software culture lead the way for other
industries to follow into the information age?
It’s a difficult question to answer given
we are a social species who likes to coalesce in groups. Every group has its
specific attributes, behaviours and properties that define who it is and by
extension who its participants are relative to the group. We all know that
companies have “company men” and “company women” who live the company’s culture
ergo are as committed as the founders to its success. Software is no different;
they say it’s a lifestyle rather then a job. From my initial dip into
technology, I have to agree!
So what is at the heart of software culture?
In my view the adhocracy (projects) and clan (people) culture mix defines
software industry culture. Something that astounds many is the focus. It is on
people whilst managing “everything else” to see people innovate and produce
products in a structured manner, which in turn is monetized for market. Imagine
the concept, the software industry believes in collaboratively leading people
to produce processes and technology that positively impact the world at a
profit.
Value added spending replaces austerity in
the software industry where people take their rightful place within the
business models deployed to great success.
Picture a company in any industry that
embraces classical management models and hierarchical structures then picture a
collaborative adhocracy culture with a lateral management structure. Both are
faced with a tough market in recession and need to make changes in order to
stay profitable. The first thought coming out of the senior team at the company
embracing classical management theory and the hierarchical culture is “where
can we cut costs?” whereas the software company’s senior management team
embracing the adhocracy culture comes out with “where can we create value?”
Whilst reallocation of resources can
produce redundancies for staff that cannot retrain for other areas, it’s not
nearly as common as in other industries. Some of the best ideas that have
arrived at market have being born at lunch tables by co-workers trying to think
of how they can make their company better! Who says culture doesn’t pay?? In
software, the “soft skill” of company culture is part of the bedrock of the
industry that is transforming our world!
The software industry has created a new
brand of collaboration in its work practice that has enabled a revolution
called the “information age”. The bedrock is hard skilled in technical know how,
languages, architecture and soft skilled in creativity, collaboration, mutual
respect and culture. Common values are shared as often as code is in teams to
reach common goals by like minds. So, what guidelines should be in place for a
successful (software) adhocracy culture’?
Leadership Style – Is it collaborative or
participative?
Organisational Structure – How flexible to
we need to be? Are vertical silos of hierarchical structures in need of
replacement by a matrix or cyclical organisational structure defined around
projects?
Company Culture – Is the right culture
mapped out to business practices, management leadership practices and
organisational structures, where the cultural mix that works for the company is
documented and practiced?
Risk Management – Do you have a risk
assessment on your overall company and its structures? Is process mapping part
of the exercise and does the assessment clearly define strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats within company walls and beyond???
What part do people play in the overall
structure? Are there policies and more importantly implementations on company
culture, ethics and people that are based in real practices and/or give clear
direction for the company to go to embrace them in its development path?
Things like:
- Integrity - Is it truly valued?
- Loyalty – Is it “taken” or given?
- Honesty – Is it asked for, sought or given?
- Courage – Will courage to do the right thing be rewarded or punished?
- Fortitude – Is creativity and persistence recognised?
The point to all this is that if your
company is to become as successfully adaptive as those in the software industry
who thrive as innovation powerhouses are, then you need to start thinking like
a software company! This means people first, map out their path to greatness
and you will find your own as a company!
It’s a cultural shift of epic proportions
for so many companies and industries. However, considering that the pace of
change is enabled by software at a faster and faster pace, I would argue that aligning
your company and business model to a variant of what is so successful in the
software industry maybe a matter of choice today and survival tomorrow. Lets
hope tomorrow is not too late!
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