Have you ever thought about the role that language plays in your corporate culture, your family's culture, or even your regional culture? We develop language shortcuts that are meaningful so that we don't have to keep explaining certain things. We develop common understanding because of the common language we share. Even though we may speak English with others, the English we use depends on where we live and the culture in which we operate.
I remember when I was tutoring a person from Colombia several years ago I had to explain why we use the words and phrases we do. Anyone who has ever studied a language other than their native language has had to struggle with the impossibility of translating idiomatic phrases.
What is the language of your organization's culture? Many industries have a myriad of acronyms that are completely foreign to outsiders. When I worked in the aerospace industry we had countless acronyms and one of our trainers made a project of having people in her classes add to her list of acronyms we used so she would understand the comments in class.
Is your language focused on your past or on your future? In order to effect change in an organization it is important to have a clear picture of where you are before you try to move in any direction from that. Part of that understanding comes from listening and looking around you to determine the language of your culture. What is important in your culture? You can tell what's important by what people hold onto. What is open to change and what must remain constant?
As you begin to plan for changes, you may try to explain the new in terms of the old, but find that the two are not compatible. You must recognize that there may be limitations. Sometimes you have to rebuild your language or even invent new terms. As the saying goes, "Necessity is the mother of invention." We have all seen this in new product development.
However, what about language in terms of your leadership? Does it feel too "touchy/feely" to discuss methods of positive motivation? Does your culture support discussing ideas in an open forum without fear of reprisal or raised eyebrows? Can you have productive conflict where people hash out all sides of an issue honestly and respectfully? Are you willing to let go of control and instead facilitate others' success?
The word "change" can be a negative word in almost any culture. The world today is moving quickly and the only constant may be constant and more rapid change. Building a culture that can withstand this change means that we must have language that will accommodate the dialog of failure as well as the dialog of success. They go together to create new visions. The language must give people the means to embrace learning from the old while transitioning to the new and unknown. Listen to the way language plays out in your culture and you may find an opportunity to lead your organization to the future more effectively.
I remember when I was tutoring a person from Colombia several years ago I had to explain why we use the words and phrases we do. Anyone who has ever studied a language other than their native language has had to struggle with the impossibility of translating idiomatic phrases.
What is the language of your organization's culture? Many industries have a myriad of acronyms that are completely foreign to outsiders. When I worked in the aerospace industry we had countless acronyms and one of our trainers made a project of having people in her classes add to her list of acronyms we used so she would understand the comments in class.
Is your language focused on your past or on your future? In order to effect change in an organization it is important to have a clear picture of where you are before you try to move in any direction from that. Part of that understanding comes from listening and looking around you to determine the language of your culture. What is important in your culture? You can tell what's important by what people hold onto. What is open to change and what must remain constant?
As you begin to plan for changes, you may try to explain the new in terms of the old, but find that the two are not compatible. You must recognize that there may be limitations. Sometimes you have to rebuild your language or even invent new terms. As the saying goes, "Necessity is the mother of invention." We have all seen this in new product development.
However, what about language in terms of your leadership? Does it feel too "touchy/feely" to discuss methods of positive motivation? Does your culture support discussing ideas in an open forum without fear of reprisal or raised eyebrows? Can you have productive conflict where people hash out all sides of an issue honestly and respectfully? Are you willing to let go of control and instead facilitate others' success?
The word "change" can be a negative word in almost any culture. The world today is moving quickly and the only constant may be constant and more rapid change. Building a culture that can withstand this change means that we must have language that will accommodate the dialog of failure as well as the dialog of success. They go together to create new visions. The language must give people the means to embrace learning from the old while transitioning to the new and unknown. Listen to the way language plays out in your culture and you may find an opportunity to lead your organization to the future more effectively.
By Vicki Anderson
