Originally published in my Tumblr account 2011
Spend ten minutes in any one place and you’ll get a pretty good idea about the institutional culture. If it’s a private institution it might take you less time, a public one may take you a bit longer. But I am sure you may, in a very short time, discover what makes them tick. (Just for fun, when no one is looking come back and talk to the people that work in the cafeteria, or the janitor, maybe even those people that work quietly in the warehouse. Now what did you learn?)
Think about it! You’ve got a birds-eye view of everything. What’s on the walls? What do they give you as you walk in the door? How does it smell? The walk around tour’s path and why? How clean are the bathrooms? Even the temperature in each room can give a small part of the culture away. Just observe all those things the next time you’re visiting someones home, school or business. I always find it interesting that some of the most warmly decorated, welcoming places are freezing cold!
Now that you’ve taken a moment to recall the culture of your favorite place ask yourself this question, “Does the perceived culture represent the true culture?” You’ll find that question to be a simple one compared to the hard one, “Does it matter?” YES, it matters! Otherwise, they wouldn’t try to be something they aren’t. Why try if it really doesn’t matter.
To be continued…