Culture Club: Open-ended Questions to uncover Open Organizations

It’s 2020, and, while cliche, the new year has got me thinking…

I have a close friend that recently lost his position- eliminated as of the new year. In hearing the events over the past couple months leading up to this untimely demise, I surprised myself by how many times I said out loud, “That would never happen at Red Hat!” Some horror stories I was told: Requests during meetings from senior leadership for feedback only to later be targeted and threatened for being candid and asking questions. Cold shoulders and avoidance by direct managers for days or weeks on end. Constant shifting in priorities, compensation and strategy with little to no thought or clarity (nor consideration for well-being of the employees trying to meet ever-changing goals!)

As someone that often speaks her mind, I have a tendency to take for granted working within such an Open Organization. Many others ask what it’s actually like or why such a fuss about culture - but if you don’t have it, you probably don’t know what you are missing. 

So, for those that have difficulty understanding why many Red Hatters “bleed red” and continually stay the course (even though we may seem borderline chaotic at times), I thought I’d compile a list of questions to ask yourself either at your current position or to ask during interviews while looking for a new one:

1. Where do your organization’s best or new ideas originate? Is it purely from management or is feedback regularly solicited from those on the ground? If it seems all changes are coming strictly from the top, it may be a red flag that perspectives from all areas of the organization are not being taken into account.
2. What is management’s expectations for your role or, more specifically, you? Is the vision, goal and strategy to meet them clear or a bit murky? Most importantly, are you afraid to ask for clarity? If the mission is not apparent, it’s hard to be passionate - ask why, ask how, ask when, until you are on board and able to contribute
3. How does your organization maintain a culture of innovation? As you grow & scale, have you found the culture to change as well? Building a culture at a startup is easy (well, easier - I’ve been at some sad startups, too!), but as successful companies grow and develop, is there a strategy to continue the same feel of smaller, agile, close-knit organizations?
4. How often do you find yourself saying ‘I’ or ‘me’ instead of ‘we’? Is success celebrated as a team or focused more for each individual? More importantly, is success celebrated? On the other hand, how do you handle failures? Working collaboratively is hard. Oftentimes, it’s easier to control one person or work on your own, but the benefit to adding additional voices, perspectives and ideas is vast and often creates larger opportunities - if the right organizational structure supports it.

While I know these types of pieces are usually written by managers with decades of experience, gathering perspectives from those of us “individual contributors” or troops on the ground give a much clearer picture on whether the organization is truly open or if the doors are just slightly ajar to keep up appearances.

If you want to join the party, ping me as or take a look at our open positions -- we’re rapidly growing and looking for qualified catalysts to join the fun!

Most importantly, as I told my friend, if you feel the walls closing in, remind yourself that you’re not trapped in your current gig. Ask the right questions, keep your eyes open for opportunities, and, hopefully, you’ll be able to see 20/20 in the new year!!