Fit Into the Organization (reprise)

This is a reprint of my post from August 2011. It applies to this series.

Most of us have worked with someone that did not fit into the group or team. We experienced those uncomfortably awkward moments when someone said or did something that broke a company taboo. Today we will discuss the need to fit into the corporate culture.

David’s Story

David, a graduate student, worked as a research assistant at nationally recognized university. The team he worked with developed cutting edge technology for the government and NASA. David contributed significantly to the software development that drove the project.

David, while a brilliant researcher, lacked certain social skills. He misread situations. He worked best alone rather than in groups. David prided himself on arriving to work at 7:45 everyday, and leaving at 5:15. Unfortunately, the rest of the team, including the boss, usually arrived around 10am and left after 7pm. David considered their lack of punctuality character flaws. While David preferred to work alone without interruption. The rest of the team enjoyed multiple informal brainstorming sessions around the foosball table or other game. In many ways, David, who left at 5:15, seldom participated in the late night pizza busts with the rest of the team.

David’s software performed exceptionally well. NASA invited him to present his work to them. He continues to contract with NASA and other government departments. He manages his own consulting company. He is the only employee. He loves what he does.

The rest of the team commercialized the research. Together, they formed a separate company that applies their research to commercial situations. They formed the company together with their boss as the CEO. David was the only member of the team not invited to participate. He just never fit into their team.

Why Fitting In is Important

Organizations, like machines, function best when all components work together. Production and collaboration stall when the corporate rhythm stutters or skips because one element does not fit in. Team cohesiveness requires team members to fit together.

Significant research validates the need for cohesive teams. Jim Collins cites the need to have the right people in the right seats on the bus for an organization to achieve greatness. He cites the importance of culture in many publications. Bruce Tuckman postulated that groups pass through five stages to become highly effective. His research spawned continued analysis of the need to form, norm, storm, perform, and adjourn. 

How do People Fit In or Not Fit In

Unfortunately, fitting in requires social skills that many, like David, lack. Frequently, the person that does not fit in is the only one not recognizing it. This highlights the need for a good mentor and an honest network of contacts. Some examples of not fitting in:

• You are loud and noisy when the rest of the organization prefers silent productivity
• You remain aloof while the culture prefers free wheeling, informal collaboration
• You come to work at times different than the group.
• You work 35 hours. The rest of the group works 60 hours.
• You want to socialize after hours while the team favors a family value of going home
• You don’t produce as much as the rest
• You produce so much more they brand you “rate buster”
• You constantly seek public accolade in a team that performs anonymous miracles
• You wear shorts and tee-shirts. The team wears dress slacks and shirts

Fitting in not does mean that we all act as brainless copies of the same person.In the past, we felt that ethnic, age, gender, or other issues legitimately precluded people from fitting in. While we still can improve on those issues, legislation outlawed those issues of discrimination. Today, we rejoice in age, race, gender, and other diversity.

Your mentor and internal network can help you learn the organization’s culture and hot to fit in. They observe you on the job and share suggestions for change. They monitor your changes and share what you changed well, and what you still need to change. Learn to listen to your mentor and network. Resist the natural urge to justify or defend your current behavior.

Failure to fit in results in lower raises, no promotions, and even possible termination. So, learn to fit into the organization.