DECODing Corporate Culture
How to Decode
the Corporate
Culture?
When you join an office, you meet many kinds of people. These very people
develop and direct the office culture. These people can be divided into five
categories - Competitors, Avoiders, Compromisers, Accommodators and
Collaborators. These 5 aspects decides the individuals characteristics
and determines where he/she fits in or type of approach he/she
needs to take while joining a new office. There are five possible
interaction styles, using a very simple example- that of a buyer
called Madhu and a person selling her “favourite” sari for
`5000. How these five possibilities of interaction between
the shop keeper and Madhu will lead to different outcomes.
Situation 1: Madhu as a Competitor: I want this sari for
`3000 and will not give a penny more. The shopkeeper had
bought the sari for `2500, he could have earned more money
out of it but since he doesn’t know how to assert himself,
he gives in.
Situation 2: Madhu as an Avoider: I want this sari for `3000.
The shopkeeper says no and Madhu leaves the shop. In the
process, neither the shopkeeper nor Madhu gain anything.
Situation 3: Madhu as a Compromiser: I want this sari for
`3000. The shopkeeper insists on `5000, so Madhu says
let’s do one thing, I will bear a loss of `1000, and you also
bear a loss of `1000 and let us settle for `4000.
Situation 4: Madhu as an Accommodator: I want this sari
for `3000. The shopkeeper insists on `5000, so Madhu says
OK and buys the sari for `5000.
Situation 5: Madhu as a Collaborator: I want this sari for
`3000. The shopkeeper insists on `5000, so Madhu says
look I know you bought this sari for `2500. You can make
a good profit of `1000 if you give it to me for `3500. It is a
gain for me as well as you. Think about it. The shopkeeper
sees logic in it and gives the sari for `3500.
8 | HELLOBIZ NOV 2017