Organizational Culture & Warning Flags

I recently enjoyed an extended stay at the beach. My Airbnb had a balcony that overlooked the ocean and each morning I would take note of the Beach Warning Flag that flew near the shoreline. Since my condo was filled with information about the “Beach Warning Flag System” it seemed like this was something I should pay close attention to.

As I read about the flags, I began to wonder how our team experiences — at work or in play — would be different if each day a warning flag was flown to let people know about the overall health of their organization. When I say a team, I mean any group of people who need to work together to achieve a common goal. This could be a committee, a breakout group, a sports team, or a department at work. In each of these contexts, it is important to keep a pulse on the health of the group.

First, let’s consider the Green Beach Flag which represents a very low level of danger and tells us that it is safe to be in the water. When the green flag is flying the ocean is often calm, the tide is low, and no one is being pulled in an unsafe direction. This type of water allows people to relax, let down their guard, and enjoy themselves.

Most individuals desire to work in a green flag culture. In this environment, people value their relationships with others because no one is fighting for their own survival. Additionally, because people are not at the mercy of the ocean, they can explore choices and make good decisions. Green flag cultures typically serve as a place where high performers thrive.

Next, let’s consider the Purple Beach Flag which symbolizes the presence of dangerous marine life. This could range from harmful algae, to jellyfish, or sharks. In our day-to-day work, this likely means there is a person on the team who isn’t the right fit for the team. These individuals may gossip about others, act in ways that create distrust, or work to manipulate individuals for their own gain, but one thing is certain, the team isn’t their priority. While these behaviors are correctable, if not addressed, these people will slowly eat a team alive. It is literally like having a shark in the water; you may not see it, but you can sense the danger. People cannot do their best work when this underlying danger is present. Organizations with purple flag culture need to have some important conversations with specific team members before they can move toward green flag culture.

The third Beach Warning Flag is yellow. Next to an ocean, this means there could be a high surf, dangerous currents, or a strong undertow. In these conditions, people are allowed to swim but they should proceed with caution and understand the risk they are taking. In yellow flag culture, I often notice a sense of disappointment as team members have resigned to the fact that danger will always be present within their organization. Yellow flag culture is tiring, and much like a swimmer, teammates often feel like the current of the ocean — or the current of their culture — is working against them.

Yellow flag culture is where I observe that results start to overtake relationships, teammates shift from collaborating with each other to competing against one another, and the group moves from a team-first mentality to a me-first mindset. To change from yellow culture to green culture, teams must rediscover their strengths and restore their relationships. This will only happen with intentionality, and it will likely require outside help. Like someone who is struggling to swim in the ocean, it is almost impossible to save yourself. When an individual is exhausted, they need a well-rested lifeguard who can help them back to shore. The same applies to teams.

Moving toward an even more dangerous state is the Red Beach Flag. Near water, this means that everything that could work against you IS working against you and this is also true in life. Red flag culture is painful, and most days people feel like they can’t catch a break. When teams reach this state, they have lost their group identity, and instead of supporting the mission, they are sabotaging it by being solely focused on their individual safety and survival. They no longer trust each other and often feel hopeless.

I believe I have only worked with one organization with red flag culture. I said yes to the opportunity because I wanted to see if it was possible to move all the way from red culture to green culture. While I am proud of the progress that group made, they continued to live in a perpetual state of orange, a space of bouncing back and forth between red and yellow culture. Leaders who wait to seek help until the red flag is flying are putting their people through unnecessary trauma. Red flag culture on a day-to-day basis will break even the strongest people.

And just when you thought life on the beach couldn’t get worse, there is the display of the Double Red Flags which means the beach is closed. In organizational culture, this is the stage where committees are disbanded, team members are moved to other departments, and people are fired as organizational leaders wipe the slate clean. At this point, there is too much working against the group for them to try and recover. The waves have crushed them, and the current has pulled everyone out to sea. There is no coming back from double red flag culture.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. When a person is struggling in open water, they need someone to help them swim to shore. At work, when you are exhausted you too need someone who has strength, someone to help navigate the current and help you make progress toward the shoreline. Leaders who know their teams are stretched and stressed must be willing to ask for help because their people deserve a lifeline.

While the process may still be painful, it is much easier to move from yellow culture to green culture rather than trying to move all the way from red to green. My advice to you is to address the little things before they become big things, intentionally correct, remove the sharks in the water, and have important conversations before they become hard conversations.

Teams don’t grow apart, they die apart … but it doesn’t have to be this way.

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