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Writer's pictureRichard Lipscombe

Does a "woke work culture" suit you?


The "woke work culture" is spreading.

I would like to use my education in organisation theory, practical experience as a hired gun to change corporate cultures, and my time involved in creating political narratives to power my insights into the "woke work culture".


If you work in a woke culture these insight might form a useful backdrop to your career.


First, the woke culture is tribal and therefore it is controlled by "group think", vigorous taboos, narratives [universal talking points] that act as a default strategy, consensual notions of unity, and myopic vision.


Second, it is imperative is that you can perform well inside "collaborative teams". This means you are skilled at following "the rules". This means you are adept at "coordination". This means you are known to be a "team player". This means you are experienced in "playing your role". This means that you often support "team decisions" that you know will end in a disaster. This means you accept that you are merely a "cog in this woke system". This means... [you add your own insights to those listed above].


Three, the woke culture workplace is prone to growing "cliques". There is the "in" crowd whether this is a physical workplace, an online network workspace, or a virtual work environment. The danger in a woke culture is that you are not part of the "in" crowd. This is more important if you are part of a small team [5 through to 20 members] because there is no where you can hide from their verbal bullying.


Four, the woke culture thrives on "strategic plans" that are neither strategic or practical maps to the future. The notion that a "strategic plan" exist out there somewhere enables the team to be tactical and organise their workload around narratives and talking points that can be varied day-by-day. This sense of constant change gives woke workers a valid feeling that they are doing something that reaches way beyond the menial tasks they perform from 9am to 5pm.


Five, the woke culture is "led from behind". This feature enables workers to "fail upwards" and become management even if they do not have the knowledge and skills they need to do a competent job. This feature of the "woke culture" is supported by the dictum that "we learn most from our failures". Also when management is all about coordination, rules, and enforcing tribal taboos then it is the system that is in control. The system is full of algorithms that are loaded-up with woke values [universal empathy] that set the guidelines for managers in a particular system and are more and more aligned to the "social mores" that exist way beyond the workplace [tangible] or workspace [virtual].


Of course there are more insights that I might share with you in future blogs... but, for the moment I will leave it right here.


Richard.

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