Culture is the way something has always been done . Culture raises its head in many places including religion,politics, midwifery ,medicine , nursing education, the way we speak the way we work , the newspapers and tv we watch – we are easily influenced.
Take for example The House of Commons where the culture is for members of Parliament to shout out to each other, to heckle to humiliate and sometimes to belittle. It’s a very male dominated place and I wonder if it would be the same full of women – will we ever know?
FGM was a cultural norm but now it’s being challenged and stopped – see what I mean ?
CLICK HERE for guidelines around recognising & reporting FGM and female cutting)
Culture in a workplace it’s about doing things the way that “things” have always been done . Sadly for some it’s about behaving the way they’ve always behaved.
This is based on messages (DMs) I receive from many midwives and Student midwives across not just the UK but the world 🌍
For example
- not tackling bullying head on
- being in a group when someone is talking about someone who is not present and you know it’s wrong but you don’t speak out because no one else is speaking out
- Joining in with that group to comply
- It’s about people clucking together like hens that everything is bloody marvellous when it truly is not
I could go on .. for me though being an anti culture agent (yes that’s me !!) is about
- Speaking out
- Not being part of a clique
- Seeing the people you work with as professional colleagues not “mates to muck about with “
- Working everyday with evidence based research to GUIDE you
- Seeing the woman (I am a midwife so I don’t say patient ) as the focus of all actions deeds and words
- Questioning the norm
- Challenging crude comments
- Reporting behaviour that is not professional and doesn’t adhere to the NMC CODE
- Constantly thinking about why you are doing what you do and not just simply doing it (fish don’t see water)
- Being the change you wish to see in maternity services (or politics or whatever your work is in)
- Not bragging
- Getting on with stuff
- Networking to help others
- Leadership
The list is endless but this blog is merely to help you catapult yourself out of your own compliance.
How would you describe culture ? There is effective culture & ineffective culture .
I will always be an anti “poor culture in the workplace” agent
That’s what integrity is to me 
Thanks also to the change agent that is Heather Gallagher for reminding me about my “be the change ” slide – you inspire many people each day Heather including me ❤️
Onwards 💪🏻❤️
@JennyTheM©️ 