Wearing the Culture

How much do you mirror the people you work with? The research tells us quite a lot.

Everyone’s heard the saying “you’re a product of your environment” right? Just last week, I stepped into the elevator at work in an all-black outfit—something I would never do back in Perth—but here in Melbourne it’s the known uniform. I didn’t even think twice. It dawned on me as I observed the sea of black how easy it is to pick up the behaviours and norms of the people around us without consciously choosing to.

Have you ever noticed how much you mirror your own workplace? Or even your clients’ workplace?

Research by Kahn (2022) explored this idea through a study of a child welfare agency. Over time, the people working there had unconsciously started to reflect the dynamics of the families they were supporting. The social workers took on the emotional state of the children—vulnerable and exposed—while the managers started acting like the parents—intrusive or disengaged. The agency itself began to operate like a dysfunctional family, just like the ones they were trying to help. Like the helpless families, the organisation was too overwhelmed to call out what was happening, let alone fix it.

This psychodynamic phenomenon, known as “outside-in”, refers to the way social systems can unconsciously shape our internal states, behaviours, and roles. This concept expands beyond child welfare agencies and is something experienced across service based industries, including management consulting. For example, consultants working on long-term culture change projects may gradually become absorbed into the client’s organisational culture and challenges, making them susceptible to adopting similar patterns. In healthcare settings, where staff often operate in self-sacrificing or saviour-like roles, consultants may unconsciously take on the same mindset—overstepping their role to 'rescue' the client or taking on responsibilities that should remain with the organisation. Similarly, consultants may unintentionally become caught in internal politics and unconsciously align with Team A while avoiding engaging with ‘difficult’ players.

The danger of this unconscious absorption is that the individual loses their objectivity. Instead of helping to solve the problem, they risk becoming part of it.

Reflection plays a big role in avoiding becoming entangled in the same dynamics experienced by the client. It's natural to feel empathy toward clients who are in distress, but it's important to process those feelings constructively. Doing so helps maintain objectivity and ensures that the quality of service remains consistent. Just as importantly, it protects the consultant’s own organisational culture from being overly influenced or shaped by the environments of the client organisations they support.

To read more about Kahn’s (2022) research, check it out here: https://journals.aom.org/doi/10.5465/amd.2021.0068