Organizational culture includes the policies, rules, habits, and traditions that in their totality embody the core values at the heart of an organization’s work. Organizational culture is like the air we breathe. We may not notice it, but it is crucial to internal organizational functioning and resilience, which in turn affects intended impact in the world. Several studies have demonstrated as much.
The work of social change organizations, communities, and philanthropies is inherently complex, with multiple moving parts and players. It is crucial that non-profit organizational cultures be nimble, inclusive, and self-reflective, so that they can take on the many complex, non-linear challenges affecting our world.