Embracing Culture As a Path to Survival

William (Bill) Lee, immediate past co-managing partner at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, comments: “Thomas Edison said, 'Vision without execution is hallucination.'” Bill adds: “Execution without a strong, coherent and well communicated and understood culture is impossible. The values and culture of an institution are what allows people to meet challenges, innovate and create and execute.”

There is so much to say about culture and its impact on the organization, it is difficult to know where to begin. Since the days of Maslow and his introduction of his hierarchy of needs (motivational theory), many experts have studied human needs and the impact individual people may have on an organization's cultural effectiveness. (Motivation theory suggests five interdependent levels of basic human needs (motivators) that must be satisfied in a strict sequence starting with the lowest level. Physiological needs for survival (to stay alive and reproduce) and security (to feel safe) are the most fundamental and most pressing needs. They are followed by social needs (for love and belonging) and self-esteem needs (to feel worthy, respected, and have status). The final and highest level needs are self-actualization needs (self-fulfillment and achievement). More information is available at http://bit.ly/1VPYfV2.)