Session 5: Lion tamers and horse
whisperers – shaping workplace cultures
Presented by:
• Dr Paul Collings
Queensland Crime and
Misconduct Commission
Lion Tamers and
Horse Whisperers
Shaping Workplace Cultures
Paul Collings
Senior Prevention Adviser
Research and Prevention
Crime and Misconduct Commission
Corrupt Cultures
Examples
Parks and gardens
 Executive suite
 Facilities maintenance

Culture
“the climate and practices that organisations develop
around their handling of people, or … the espoused values
and credo of an organisation” [Schein 7]
“Culture is to a group what personality or character is to
an individual. We can see the behaviour that results, but
often we cannot see the forces underneath that cause
certain types of behaviour.” [Schein 8]
Edgar H. Schein, Organizational Culture and
Leadership.
3rd Edition. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass: 2004.
How are cultures formed?
“a group’s culture is the result of that group’s
accumulated learning … once a group has a culture, it
will pass elements of this culture on to new generations
of group members.” [Schein 18]
Edgar H. Schein, Organizational Culture and
Leadership.
3rd Edition. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass: 2004.
Diagnosis
 Complaints
 Risk
factors
Isolation
Work environment
Rhetoric
Underlying assumptions
Isolation
“individuals will be more likely
to share in ethical reasoning
and moral intent with members
of their own functional group
(in-group) than with members
of other functional groups
(out-group).”
Neil A. Granitz and James C. Ward. “Actual and perceived
sharing of ethical reasoning and moral inent among in-group and
out-group members.” Journal of Business Ethics 33 (4) 299-322,
October 2001. p.299
Working Environment




Physical environment
Work practices
Operational structures
General morale
Rhetoric





Public utterances
False signals
Quality of output
Language
Tales and legends
Underlying Assumptions
Positive
Negative
Old-fashioned work ethic
Work-evasion ethic
We are working to
a common goal
Our team has to stick
together for protection
We are at the
cutting edge
We are a neglected
back-water
Surveys
Response to Surveys:
Managers’ trust in information sources – percentage.
45
40
Observed fact
35
Graph
30
25
Reliable Report
Never believe
anything
20
15
10
5
0
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
[Source: http:/phoneegraphs.con]
What to do?
Recommendation 8
“That the Department of Transport
establish a corporate culture
that values, and is inclusive of,
all staff and operational areas.”
Western Australia’s Corruption & Crime Commission.
Report on the investigation of alleged public sector
misconduct by employees of the Department for Planning
and Infrastructure in relation to the inspection, licensing
and registration of motor vehicles. 16 September 2010
Lions and horses
Targeting key people
 Shedding light
 Creating expectations
 Systems
 Deterrence
 Leadership

Key People
Avoidance and resistance
 Denial
 Transference
 Deal-making
Shedding light
Education for
 Direct moral instruction
 Case studies, role plays, hypotheticals
Practical projects
Value clarification
Empowerment, autonomy
Empathy development
Workplace experiences
Motivation
Creating expectations
 Uncertainty
 Codes and policies
 Modelling
Prevention tools
 Risk Management plans
Systems
 Corporate plans
 Codes of conduct
 Policies and procedures
 Internal reporting
 Internal auditing
 Recruitment
 Performance management
 Continuous improvement
 Training
 Leadership
Implementation
 Communication
 New technologies
 Learn from complaints
 Avoid patchwork
Deterrence
 Dismissals
 Legal constraints
Rewards
Leadership
 Integrity
 Acceptance
 Visibility
Shaping Cultures
Symptoms
 Complaints
Strategies
 Isolation
 Work environments
 Rhetoric
 Underlying assumptions
 Key people
 Shedding light
 Expectations
 Systems
 Deterrence
 Leadership
Organisational approach
Discussion
Dr Paul Collings
Crime and Misconduct Commission
(07) 3360 6381
paul.collings@cmc.qld.gov.au
Case study
Allegation: misappropriation of private sector grant funds.
In 2008 the University received a grant for specified research
purposes from the Perfectly Upright Corporation (PU
Corp). It is alleged that Professor Julius Flitwick illegally
(or inappropriately) used the money to:
 Buy two new laptops, one for his home and the other to
use at work
 Employ a research assistant who “just turned up one day”
and who was later overheard to mention that her mother is
one of the Directors of PU Corp
Case study
Background information:
 The Professor refuses to submit costings for the research
project through the usual university processes and has
explained to the finance section that he does not need to
because he is personally contracted to the project rather
than through the university
 The Professor uses University resources to carry out the
research project
 The website for PU Corp includes a press release that
states that the Professor has a part ownership in the
intellectual capital for the finished project
Discussion
 Tenure and ossification
Academic vs. Administration
 Research funding and ethics