As a Culture Consultant, defining our role can often be challenging. For some clients, we delve into the intricate details of the evidence-based practices that underpin our work, ensuring behavioural changes across organisations. For others, we focus on the broader issues they need our help to address. Similar to cake-making, culture is complex, with countless nuances to consider in creating the ideal environment for your business. Just as an expert cake-maker possesses years of experience, training, and a natural talent for baking and decorating, an effective Culture Consultant requires similar expertise. A Culture Consultant helps organisations align their values, behaviours, and practices to create a cohesive and productive work environment that benefits individuals, organisations, and society as a whole. So what can cakes teach us all about organisational culture?
The First Taste: The Initial Impression
Think about your favourite cake. Now, imagine the first time you tried it — did it match your expectations? Just like with cake, our initial impressions of an organisation’s culture can be deceiving. The aroma, the look, the promise of what’s inside — it all shapes our expectations. But sometimes, reality might differ, just like when you anticipate a rich chocolate cake but are surprised by a slice of fruit cake. Similarly, a company’s culture might seem sweet on the surface but can be something entirely different once you’re inside.
The Recipe: Building Culture with Purpose
Every cake is made for a purpose — a birthday cake, a wedding cake, or even a cake to relax and eat with friends. Similarly, an organisational culture is crafted with a specific purpose in mind. The ingredients — the values, norms, and behaviours — need to align with the organisation’s goals. A child’s birthday cake wouldn’t include alcohol, just as a culture meant to foster innovation shouldn’t be bogged down by rigid rules. Understanding the purpose behind your culture is key to ensuring it serves its intended function, just like a cake.
Presentation vs. Reality: The Surface and the Substance
A beautifully decorated cake might look perfect on the outside, but what if it’s just a plastic model inside? In organisations, culture is often presented in a polished, appealing way to attract new employees. But once inside, if the culture doesn’t match the expectations, it can lead to disappointment. A culture, like a cake, must have substance beneath the surface — a sweet façade with a bitter core will eventually leave a bad taste.
The Ingredients: Quality & Consistency
The quality of a cake depends on its ingredients. Fresh, locally sourced components make for a delicious cake, while cheap, low-quality ingredients result in something far less satisfying. Similarly, the elements that make up an organisational culture — trust, communication, and integrity — must all be of high quality. If these are compromised, the culture, much like a poorly made cake, will crumble under pressure.
Layers of Complexity: Balancing Different Elements
A complex, multi-layered cake requires careful balance — too much of one ingredient can overpower the others. The same goes for culture. A thriving organisational culture balances various elements like innovation, collaboration, and inclusivity. Just as a cake with the right balance of flavours becomes a masterpiece, a culture that authentically harmonises its core values will lead to a successful organisation.
Expectations vs. Reality: Managing Perceptions
Sometimes, a cake looks amazing, but when you bite into it, it’s dry or lacks flavour. This gap between expectation and reality can lead to disappointment, whether in a cake or an organisational culture. Managing expectations is crucial — overpromising and underdelivering in culture, as in baking, sets people up for dissatisfaction. Ensuring that what you promise aligns with reality helps to build trust and satisfaction.
Hidden Surprises: Dealing with the Unexpected
Have you ever cut into a cake expecting one thing and found something else entirely inside? Perhaps a hidden layer of fruit or an unexpected flavour? Organisations can be similar — what’s beneath the surface of culture might surprise you, sometimes in positive ways, other times not so much. Being open to these surprises, and learning to navigate them, is key to adapting to and thriving in any cultural environment. Just like an expert cake taster who can quickly unpick the issues of a poorly-tasting cake, an expert culture consultant can help leaders deal with the unexpected.
Serving Size: Scaling the Culture
Just as a cake must be sized appropriately for the occasion — enough to go around but not so much that it’s overwhelming — a culture must be scaled to fit the organisation. A small team might thrive with a close-knit, informal culture, while a large corporation might need more structured processes. Ensuring the culture fits the size and needs of the organisation is critical, just as it is in serving the right amount of cake.
Special Ingredients: The Unique Elements
Every cake has that special ingredient that sets it apart, whether its a hint of spice, a unique frosting, or a special filling. In culture, these special ingredients are the unique traditions, rituals, and practices that define an organisation. These elements can’t be easily replicated by others — they are what make the culture distinct and memorable, much like a cake with a secret family recipe.
The Final Slice: Reflecting on Culture
At the end of the day, just as you savour the last bite of cake, it’s important to reflect on the culture of your organisation. Is it something you would recommend to others? Does it leave you feeling satisfied, or is there something missing? Understanding the culture and its impact is crucial for making any necessary adjustments — whether it’s adding a new ingredient to the mix or refining the recipe to better meet the needs of everyone involved.
To learn more about how our team of Culture Consultants can help your organisation, please book a free 30-minute consultation with us or email – [email protected].
To enjoy delicious cake we recommend Slatterys.
