HUMAN CULTURES AMPLIFIERS

The Human Cultures Amplifiers source method is a way to make sense of how individual people can find meaning, realise purpose and explore potential as part of a culture.

The Human Cultures Amplifiers concept is based on the natural human behaviour of people seeking certainty as they navigate the uncertainty and complexity of organisational culture. The typical result of this seeking of certainty is that contracts are  created as a method of ensuring certainty of outcome and  to minimise variations in procedure.  In reality, however, the creation of cultural contracts, both explicit and implicit, tends to have the effect of closing down possibilities and reducing potential. The Human Cultures Amplifiers takes a different approach. Rather than contracting relationships and shrinking them down, the Human Cultures Amplifiers is a way of expanding possibilities and amplifying cultural potential.

The purpose of the Human Cultures Amplifiers is to amplify cultural potential by understanding identities, needs and beliefs in any cultural situation. Although people often think that their identities, needs and beliefs are unchanging  across situations, they are heavily influenced by cultural context, which will change from situation to situation. The Human Cultures Amplifiers provides a way for people to make sense of who the culture actually is, what the culture is doing and why they are doing it in any situation. It also provides a way to make sense of what the culture needs and what it’s purpose is in that situation and opens up to exploring cultural beliefs and cultural potential.

• • To identify perceptions of organisational culture
• • To identify cultural roles and responsibilities
• • To identify motivations and meaningful work
• • To understand cultural needs
• • To realise purpose on organisational culture
• • To articulate cultural beliefs
• • To explore potential of an organisational culture
• • To orient cultural perceptions and perspectives
• • To differentiate individual and cultural values and needs
• • To describe cultural viewpoints
• • To open up possibilities and opportunities for cultural change
• • To move beyond preconceptions of organisational culture

Human Cultures Amplifiers Cards and/or App and/or Post-Its Black Sharpies Quiet, preferably private space

All participants are provided with a set of Human Cultures Amplifiers Cards and/or App and/or Post-Its. Depending on budget, the cards can be written on with black Sharpies. If budget is limited, the cards can simply be used as prompts and responses are written on post-its with black Sharpies.

Participants may already have a particular cultural issue that they wish to amplify. If not, invite participants to name a cultural challenge that they are currently navigating or ask them to to describe an uncertain cultural situation that they are keen to clarify. Always ensure that participants choose a specific situation or challenge to set the context for the Human Cultures Amplifiers  questions.

The Human Cultures Amplifiers process is structured as seven questions, asked in sequence. For each question, ask the participants the question and invite them to write down their answers on the Human Cultures Amplifiers Cards and/or App and/or Post-Its. Allow 3 to 5 minutes for answering each question. The sequence of seven questions is:

WHO ARE THEY?

Ask the participants the question ‘Who are they as a culture?’

WHAT DO THEY DO?

Ask the participants the question ‘What do they do as a culture?’

WHY DO THEY DO IT?

Ask the participants the question ‘Why do they do it as a culture?’

WHAT DO THEY NEED?

Ask the participants the question ‘What do they need as a culture?’

WHAT IS THEIR PURPOSE?

Ask the participants the question ‘What is their purpose as a culture?’

WHAT DO THEY BELIEVE?

Ask the participants the question ‘What do they believe as a culture?’

WHAT IS THEIR POTENTIAL?

Ask the participants the question ‘What is their potential as a culture?’

After participants have answered all seven questions, invite them to share their answers or any awarenesses that may have emerged for them. Give the participants the choice to share their answers with the group.

After participants have shared their answers to specific questions, ask the more general question of how their answers have amplified awareness of their specific challenge or particular situation.

Ensure that participants identify a specific challenge or particular situation. Participants may ask questions like ‘what do you mean “who are they?”?’ Answer by inviting them to identify who they are in that particular situation.

Participants can usually answer ‘Who are they?’ and ‘What do you they?’ quite quickly. They may slow down or be challenged by ‘Why do you do it?’ When answering ‘What do they need?’, participants, particularly those who work in a technical environment, will list technical specifications or requirements. Participants may also answer with goals or objectives. Invite  participants to state what they individually need. If participants are challenged by this question, depending on the group, ask them what they desire or yearn for.

Participants who are knowledge workers or who work in an expertise rich environment they feel that they have to answer the questions immediately. Emphasise that there are no right answers and that they should take the time to be reflective and see what answers emerge for them.

At the end of the process, invite participants to share any answers that surprised them or that they felt may have been out of character for them.