The Basic Tribal Instincts that Drive Us with Michael Morris
Nov 27, 2024
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Michael Morris, a cultural psychologist and professor at Columbia Business School, shares insights on tribalism's role in leadership and organization. He discusses how cultural instincts influence human behavior, shaping our connections and leadership styles. The impact of cultural evolution on human societal structures is explored, revealing how these instincts foster collaboration. Morris also highlights South Korea's soccer revolution as a case study in cultural unity, emphasizing the importance of understanding diversity during gatherings like Thanksgiving.
Tribalism significantly shapes organizational culture, and leaders can utilize shared identity to drive transformation in struggling businesses.
The connection between cultural psychology and leadership emphasizes the importance of intentionally shaping organizational culture to enhance inclusion and collaboration.
Singapore's strategic cultural engineering under Lee Kuan Yew illustrates how leadership can reshape cultural norms for national progress and unity.
Deep dives
The Impact of Tribalism on Organizations
Tribalism plays a significant role in shaping organizational culture and driving change within companies. It is suggested that leaders can leverage tribal instincts to transform struggling businesses by emphasizing shared identity and cultural cohesion. The concept is highlighted in Professor Michael Morris's book, which illustrates how understanding and harnessing tribalism can lead to improved collaboration and innovation in the workplace. This perspective illustrates that culture isn't static; it can be intentionally shaped and managed to foster a more effective organizational environment.
Cultural Psychology and Leadership
The discussion reveals an intriguing connection between cultural psychology and effective leadership strategies. Morris emphasizes that leaders must recognize the malleability of culture and use it as a tool to influence their organizations positively. His experiences in teaching and consulting reveal that leaders have the capacity to mold their organization's cultural landscape by understanding the underlying social dynamics at play. This approach not only enhances corporate culture but also helps address challenges linked to diversity and inclusion.
Cognitive Development and Identity Formation
Children's cognitive development is intricately linked to their cultural identity, with language emerging as a primary factor in recognizing group affiliation. Research indicates that infants show a preference for individuals who speak their mother tongue, highlighting the early importance of language in forming social connections. Additionally, babies also seem to judge others based on the food choices they observe, demonstrating that cultural practices are internalized from a young age. These findings underscore the critical role that cultural cues play in shaping our identities and social behaviors.
The Success of Singapore's Cultural Strategy
Singapore's transformation from a struggling, corrupt state to a global success story can be attributed to strategic cultural engineering. Under the leadership of Lee Kuan Yew, the nation embraced its colonial ties by adopting elements from British governance, which helped to stabilize and unite a diverse population. By promoting English as the official language and utilizing cultural symbols to foster a sense of pride, Singapore created an environment conducive to economic growth and innovation. This case exemplifies how leaders can successfully activate and reshape cultural norms to drive national progress.
Navigating Mergers and Cultural Integration
The merger between Bank of America and Merrill Lynch serves as a cautionary tale about the complexities of integrating distinct organizational cultures. Leaders underestimated the deep-rooted distinctions between the consumer banking culture and the investment banking ethos, leading to friction and talent retention issues. However, by appointing Sally Krawcheck, who understood both cultures, Bank of America was able to rebrand Merrill Lynch and restore morale among its employees. This highlights the importance of cultural alignment and the need for thoughtful strategies in successfully merging disparate organizations.
Barry Ritholtz speaks with Michael Morris, cultural psychologist and Chavkin-Chang Professor of Leadership at the Columbia Business School. Prior to joining Columbia, Michael was a tenured professor at Stanford's Graduate School of Business and Psychology Department. He also served as a visiting professor at various institutions including the University of Hong Kong and Harvard Business School. Michael has published over 200 articles in leading behavioral science journals and has received countless international awards from scholarly societies across several fields. Michael serves as a consulting editor at the Journal of International Business and at Management and Organization Review. On this episode, Barry and Michael discuss the connection between psychology and leadership, the basic tribal instincts that drive us, and his new book Tribal: How the Cultural Instincts That Divide Us Can Help Bring Us Together.
