The Way We (Habitually) Do Things Here; Three Thoughts on the Link Between Culture and Habits
Culture is an amalgam of our collective habits.
Intersecting Thoughts
Walking the dog is a great opportunity to think.
Earlier this week, while out with the dog, I had an epiphany. Okay, maybe not so much an epiphany, but more a latent knowing that that suddenly came into sharp awareness.
I was reflecting on something I’d read earlier that day, about the importance of the environment in helping set and break habits. This wasn’t anything new to me — students of habits will be familiar with what James Clear, Greg McKeown, and other contemporary habit authors have to say about the relationship between environments and habits. I’d even written about this dynamic in a previous article.
The new, or at least different thought, was a bit of linguistic algebra, connecting habits and culture through the common factor of the environment.
Here’s my work.
As discussed, there’s a well-understood connection between environment and habits.
A career in personnel / human resources / people-and-culture has also taught me the important if not fundamental, effect that environment has on the culture of any community, group, or organization.
So, if the environment is a critical factor in managing habits, and is also a critical factor in organizational culture, then logically (and this is where the linguistic algebra occurs) there must be a relationship between habits and culture.
In fact, I think that one of the lenses that we look at culture through is the lens of habit. If the adage that ‘I am what I habitually do’ is correct, then it follows that we, the we that form any kind of group, organization, community, or association, are what we collectively habitually do.
An Amalgam of Habits
Following this train of thought, a definition of culture emerges, or at least a definition of one of the dimensions of culture; group culture is a function of the collective habits of the group.
Note that I use the word ‘group’. Culture begins to exist when two or more people connect around a thing of doing, or a way of being. It might be work, or community, or faith, or family.
A common connector across the domains of culture is a sense of shared values.
And this is where is gets really interesting — habits and values have a kind of cyclical, synergistic relationship. Values and habits are intricately linked, with each influencing the other in a continuous, dynamic cycle.
Values — deeply held beliefs about what is important or desirable, serve as guiding principles that shape our attitudes and behaviours. When we, individually or collectively, prioritise certain values, we tend to develop habits that align with and reinforce those values.
For instance, a community that values environmental sustainability is more likely to cultivate habits such as recycling, conserving water, and using public transportation. These habits, in turn, reinforce the community’s commitment to sustainability, creating a feedback loop that strengthens the original values.
Conversely, habits can also shape and solidify values. Repeated behaviours become ingrained and influence our perception of what is important. A person who regularly practices mindfulness and meditation may develop a deeper value for inner peace and mental well-being.
As habits become a consistent part of daily life, the associated values become more central to identity and worldview.
In this way, habits serve not only as expressions of existing values but also as mechanisms for cultivating and reinforcing new values, demonstrating the profound interplay between what we do regularly and what we hold dear.
It’s More Than Just Interesting
Understanding organisational and societal culture is crucial.
It provides insight into the underlying values, beliefs, and behaviours that shape how groups function and interact.
Edgar Schein, a pioneer in the field of organisational culture, saw culture as the “pattern of shared basic assumptions” learned by a group as it solves its problems of external adaptation and internal integration.
These assumptions guide behaviour and decision-making within the organisation — and I’m using the word ‘organisation’ as a proxy for any group of humanity, regardless of the specific context.
Recognising these cultural patterns allows us to better navigate change, improve communication, and align the organisation’s practices with its goals, objectives, and ways of being.
A company with a strong culture of innovation will have different practices and expectations than one that prioritises risk management, and understanding these differences is key to managing and leveraging the organisation’s strengths.
At a societal level, understanding culture is equally important; it shapes the norms, values, and behaviours of entire communities. Anthropologist Clifford Geertz described culture as “webs of significance” spun by humans. Appreciating the intricacy of these webs is essential for comprehending how societies operate and evolve.
Cultural awareness informs public policy, enhances social cohesion, and facilitates more effective communication across different cultural groups. For example, public health initiatives that take into account cultural beliefs and practices are more likely to succeed because they resonate with the target population’s values and behaviours.
Social psychologist Geert Hofstede’s work on cultural dimensions highlights how cultural values influence behaviour and communication. His research shows that awareness of cultural differences in areas such as individualism versus. collectivism or power distance can help mitigate conflicts and improve cooperation.
In organisations, fostering a culture of inclusivity and respect for diversity can enhance teamwork and productivity. In broader society, cultural understanding promotes tolerance and reduces the risk of social fragmentation. Thus, a deep comprehension of culture at both organizational and societal levels is essential for fostering harmonious and effective interactions.
Making a Shift
Understanding culture through the lens of habits provides a pathway for us to influence culture, and how culture in turns influences outcomes.
1. Real disruption happens at the habitual level.
For change to be real and lasting, it must occur at the habitual level. Habits form the foundation of our daily behaviours and routines. Surface-level changes, such as adopting a new policy or making a one-time decision, lead to temporary shifts at best, but without integrating these changes into our regular practices, they often fail to stick.
Habits are automatic responses to specific cues, and by altering these automatic responses, we can create enduring transformations. A company that wants to foster a culture of innovation must encourage its employees to routinely engage in creative thinking and experimentation, making these activities a habitual part of their workday.
Habits have the power to shape our identity and self-perception, which is crucial for sustaining change. When a behaviour becomes habitual, it starts to feel like a natural part of who we are, reducing the cognitive and emotional effort required to maintain it.
Become healthier versions of ourselves can start by making small, consistent changes to their daily routine, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or drinking water instead of sugary drinks.
Over time, these small habitual changes can lead to significant health improvements and help the person identify as someone who values and practices a healthy lifestyle. This identity reinforcement makes it easier to stick to the new behaviour, even when faced with challenges or temptations.
When habit shifts like these begin to occur across a community, the nature of the community reshapes. Changing habits create a ripple effect, leading to broader, systemic change.
2. Habits, like cultures evolve with knowledge.
Our habits, both at an individual and societal level, are significantly influenced by the knowledge we attach to those habits. This knowledge encompasses our understanding of the consequences, benefits, and social acceptance of particular behaviours.
When we are well-informed about the health benefits of regular exercise, we are more likely to incorporate it into our daily routines. This knowledge provides the motivation and justification for the habit, reinforcing its importance and making it easier to maintain.
Similarly, societal habits, such as recycling or energy conservation, are often driven by a deepening and wide-spreading awareness of environmental issues. Educational campaigns and information dissemination play crucial roles in shaping these habits, by highlighting their importance and encouraging collective action.
The knowledge associated with our habits helps to shape our perceptions and attitudes towards those behaviours. At an individual level, understanding the long-term benefits of habits like healthy eating or mindfulness can shift our attitude from seeing them as burdensome tasks to viewing them as essential and beneficial practices.
This shift in perception is crucial for habit formation. it fosters a positive association with the behaviour, making it more likely to be adopted and sustained. At a societal level, public awareness and education can transform attitudes towards certain practices, such as smoking or littering, leading to widespread behavioural change. When a society collectively understands the negative impacts of these behaviours, social norms evolve, and the habits become less prevalent.
The knowledge we attach to habits influences the frameworks and structures that support or discourage these behaviours. When we recognise the importance of certain habits, we’re led to create supportive environments to foster these practices. Conversely, a lack of knowledge or misinformation can hinder the formation of beneficial habits or perpetuate harmful ones.
3. Habits are a mix of deliberate choice and ignorant bliss.
Habits are a function of deliberate informed choices, deliberate uninformed or misinformed choices, and ignorant bliss. All three of the categories occur at an individual level, and a collective one. Habits, much like culture, emerge from a blend of deliberate choice and unquestioning ignorance.
Deliberate choice involves consciously deciding to adopt certain behaviours based on personal goals, values, or external influences. For instance, an individual might choose to exercise regularly after learning about its health benefits or witnessing positive outcomes in others. This conscious decision-making process is often informed by knowledge and a desire for self-improvement.
On a societal level, deliberate choices can be seen in policy changes or public health campaigns aimed at encouraging behaviours such as vaccination or recycling. These choices are driven by a collective understanding of their benefits and the intention to foster a healthier, more sustainable society.
On the other hand, many habits are formed and perpetuated through unquestioning ignorance, where behaviours are adopted without conscious thought or awareness of their origins and impacts. These habits often arise from socialisation, where we internalise the behaviours and norms prevalent in their environment.
For example, we develop the habit of eating fast food frequently because it was a common practice in our family or community, without questioning its health implications. Similarly, societal habits, such as excessive consumerism or reliance on fossil fuels, persist because they are deeply ingrained in the cultural fabric and go largely unquestioned by the majority. This ignorance can be a result of a lack of information, exposure, or critical thinking about the consequences of these habits.
The interplay between deliberate choice and unquestioning ignorance in habit formation underscores the complexity of human behaviour. While deliberate choices allow for the intentional shaping of beneficial habits, unquestioning ignorance can lead to the perpetuation of behaviours that may not be in our best interest.
This duality is also evident in our cultural practices, where traditions and norms are consciously preserved and celebrated, while others continue simply because they have always been done that way.
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As I’ve been thinking about the relationship between habits and culture, I’ve been processing the impact of policy, and how habits either reinforce political directives, or indeed negate them.
What is clear to me is that policy, however well meaning it may be, cannot survive if it’s not supported at a habitual level. If the adage ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast’ is correct, it follows, then, that habits munch policy for morning tea.
