Unwritten rules
The influence of the unwritten rules is significantly greater than any instructions or orders. This roots in one of the basic needs of human beings: belonging to the group. We unconsciously act more according to what we recognise as acceptable in the group – instead of what we are told to do.
Imagine that you see a sign prohibiting parking in a place where you'd like to park. You probably won't if no one else has parked in that spot. But if the area is full of parked cars, the likelihood of you obeying the rules decreases. Your interpretation is that in the group of "parkers", it is acceptable to park here – since so many else already did. As a result, you obey the norms of this group more likely than the sign.
The norms and culture strongly influence the behaviour of people. Norms are the unwritten rules of the group. For example, how to greet, what to say and what not, is it ok to be late, work overtime etc. They guide us to act in a socially desirable way and create predictability and consistency within the group.
Team culture, on the other hand, is a combination of a group's norms and values and an external manifestation. What the normative and value-based behaviour of the group looks like is called culture.
Every group has its own norms and culture. That's why we behave a bit differently, for example, when we are at the office with our colleagues and, for example, when having a beer with a friend. Behaving according to the norms and culture is often so self-evident that we obey these unwritten rules without even noticing.
When we first encounter a new group, we automatically start reflecting on our environment and looking for clues as to how to behave in this group. Then, based on these clues, we unconsciously begin to adapt our actions. When starting a new job, some behaviours may feel unfamiliar at first. Why do people gather and chat in the hallways during the workday? Why does every decision have to be approved by the CEO? Why does no one talk about their personal lives at lunch? Soon, you will likely follow the same code of conduct, even though it felt strange and unfamiliar initially.
How the unwritten rules of a group are formed
Norms and culture are created and lived in the group. They are not defined by any individual, but each group member impacts their formation. Everyone following the norms and culture reinforces the existence of them. In addition, norms are reinforced by "rewarding" those who follow them – in this case, the "reward" is social acceptance.
When we behave according to the norms and culture of the group, we are accepted. You often only notice unwritten rules when they are broken. If someone behaves in a way that is not in line with the norms – for example, greets too familiarly or dresses inappropriately – they feel it on their skin. The group "punishes" the norm breaker by showing them they are different and deviant. No one necessarily says anything, but "the norm breaker" knows their behaviour is unusual. People often avoid this situation by all means.
Every organisation has norms and culture, whether framed on the office wall or not. Culture is created and lived in the interaction between people and is constantly shaped by how we interact with each other. Culture can't be defined and controlled from the boardroom – it is what the group members have shaped it to be.
The well-planned PowerPoint presentation about Company's culture given by the CEO during a company party is entirely meaningless if the internal norms are not in line with the presented model.
The vision of a bold and autonomic organisational culture will never become true if the unwritten rule of that group rewards cautious and deferential behaviour. This doesn't mean, however, that culture and norms cannot be influenced.
How to influence the unwritten rules of a group
The first step is to identify the culture in which the group lives:
-What do we actually represent as a group?
-What are the unwritten rules that we follow every day?
-What kind of behaviour is rewarded in the group, and what is punished?
-What is my part in reinforcing these rules?
-If this culture is in conflict with the goal state, it is worth looking at one's behaviour. Do I, as a manager, demand self-determination but still correct the spelling mistakes of my team members?
-Do I talk to others about the importance of work-life balance and yet answer emails late at night?
-Or do I wish for a more open communication culture in my team, but am mostly grumbling about it over lunch with my workmate?
-Maybe as a manager, I expect boldness and risk-taking from my team while inadvertently thwarting their new ideas by suggesting my own tried and tested solutions.
If you want to influence the culture and the unwritten rules of the group, you must first take responsibility for your behaviour. Culture and norms affect our decision-making, often without us being aware. We act in a way that is generally accepted in the group instead of how we are told to behave.
Obeying the unwritten rules of the group serves our most important need – the need to belong and be accepted.
If strategy and culture are in conflict, culture always wins, as the fear of social rejection is built into us. If you want to influence the behaviour of the group, influence its unwritten rules, values, and culture.
Test: How's your team culture?
If you want to understand your team culture better – and whether is preventing or provoking burnout – take our quiz about this topic. It is designed by Laavu's Performance Psychologists. You can take the test HERE.
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