I am working in an environment where there are several very strong cultural elements.
1) We are in a “Survivor” culture, winner takes all, may the best man win, watch your back, type of culture. There are literally meetings where managers decide who would go first if we were on a desert island, and then who goes next – all in order naming everyone in the department! So, obviously teamwork is not encouraged, and in fact discouraged. There is not open communication.
I am not high enough in the organization to operate as a change agent for this culture, but I am very much a team player. Others know this about me as well.
2) We are in a union environment and there is absolutely no trust whatsoever between union and management. This is from 100+ years of tension and it will not change quickly.
3) Honestly, we don’t have a customer service oriented culture.
So how does a person contribute toward leading the organization to a teamwork oriented culture, how do wecultivate trust, and how do you cultivate a customer service culture when you are one of the only people who really strongly believe this way.
Is it a situation where I’m just kicking against the grain? Can I really be effective here?