Assurance, Accountability and Ambition: the new Eskimo words for a healthy organisational culture

I have lost count of how many student assignments I have read on the subject of organisational culture that have included a line about the number of Eskimo (Inuit) words for snow. Some students will quote there are 50, others 100 or even 150. Sadly, its a bit of a myth. Yes, Eskimos do have a lot of words they use to describe snow, but likewise, geologists have a lot of words for rocks, just as we have a lot of words for ourselves: you, us, people, and we, for example. 

However, just because the Eskimo snow words story might be a myth, it doesn’t mean to say it’s not interesting. It is interesting in several ways. You might want to delve into the linguistics of the subject; if so, look here. 

But I’m more interested in the importance of the distinctions between the different words Eskimos use to describe snow. These are distinctions that 'package' information in a way that is both important and useful. In human interactions, if we ignore the significance of that packaging, we do so at our peril. I try and steer clear of politics in this blog, but just to illustrate this point, please have a look at the way in which Lord Geidt (the Prime Minister’s advisor on Ministerial interests) reported the outcomes of his investigations into possible breaches, by the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, of the Ministerial code. In my mind, just like kindness, propriety always matters.

I digress, but perhaps not, let’s see. Organisational culture. Well I think what many of my students were trying to do in using the analogy of Eskimos having 50 words for snow was to somehow illustrate that culture is a multi-faceted phenomenon. In describing organisations, culture can be a rather nebulous concept. There are many Eskimo snow type words to describe it. At its deepest level, perhaps all we can say is that organisational culture is based upon values that arise from how we view: human nature – do we see people as being basically good or bad, enthusiastic or demotivated, proactive or reactive; likewise how the organisation defines itself in relation to others is important; the degree of emotions people are encouraged to express (often difficult in health care);  and whether the organisation is thought to be doing well or in need of improvement (the CQC view of the world).

Last week I had some wonderful conversations with my new colleagues. One of these was with a lady who had a wicked smile, an astute sense of the possible and a wealth of experience of how culture can inhibit or enhance people’s experiences. She told me a tale of a couple who had joined the NHS from India. They were two of the many nurses who have managed to come the UK to work despite the pandemic. This couple were very experienced, and highly knowledgeable nurses, who have been making a difference every day for some time now. They had been made to feel welcome, supported with housing, advice about schools for their children, and an orientation programme that helped them with shopping, food buying, where to worship and so on.

There was a but. What hadn’t been done so well, was to try and understand the culture the couple had come from and how this might play out in a different context, and whether there was anything that could be done to help them understand the difference. In conversation with them, my colleague found out that the couple had come from a culture where hard work and loyalty to an organisation was the way to progress your career and gain promotion. Apparently, there was little understanding that despite how hard you might work, it didn't always follow that someone would simply tap you on the shoulder and ask if you were interested in moving into a different role.  

I was saddened by this revelation. Throughout my career, I’ve always benefited from having a number of mentors who encouraged me to seek out new opportunities which allowed me to grow and prosper. I had to do the hard work, but I was also guided as to how that hard work might be recognised and what it might allow me to contemplate doing next. What I heard next made me even sadder.

My colleague told me that after offering advice to the couple on what they might consider in terms of moving their careers forward, the wife had come back with an idea for opening up opportunities for her to progress. She had found a leadership programme that she felt would better equip her to seek out new opportunities. Personally, I remain unconvinced that many leadership programmes actually are of benefit. I’m still firmly in the camp that leadership is better caught than taught. But I digress.

Now this couple worked in an extraordinary way. One worked days, the other nights. They were like ships that passed in the night. They worked this way to ensure their children were always cared for. I think such an arrangement, whilst understandable, would have been tough for the family. Such an arrangement would be tough for any family, but for a couple coming to a new country without a network of family or friends it would be extremely challenging.

Having found the course that might prove the catalyst to unlock her potential and improve her future prospects, she found she was thwarted. The reason? The couple would need to work slightly shorter shifts in order to undertake their childcare responsibilities and allow her to attend the leadership programme. Apparently, this was an impossible ask and her request was turned down. It appears there may be a new Eskimo type word to use in describing organisational culture – intransigence. Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda and all the other supermarkets have led the way on flexible working. 

Our people are the most important resource we have in terms of providing high quality health and care services. We need to nurture and look after them, not just in the here and now, but for the future too. I have three Eskimo words that best underpin my approach to achieving this – Assurance, Accountability, and above all else, Ambition. And if it does happen to snow today (and who knows with the weather we have been having recently), lets get out there and make our own sunshine!