Jitske Kramer: The Making of a Corporate Tribe

Jitske Kramer is a Dutch anthropologist. She travels the world to learn from traditional healers, leaders, surprising innovators, and random passersby. She looks at the world and at organizations through the eyes of an anthropologist, and what she sees is fascinating. In this interview, we talk about what's involved in the making of a corporate tribe. 

Episode Highlights

Here are some of the things that we discussed:

• The lessons Jitske learned when doing research in Uganda
• The two opposites that attract us: harmony and disruption
• What is anthropology and how it’s relevant to organizational life
• Nature and nurture debate in the context of culture
• The elements that shape culture: purpose, definition power, and the cultural narrative
• One of the biggest misunderstandings about self-organized teams
• The importance of reflecting on what leadership means in your organization
• Why boundaries are important and how to set them in a way that supports rather than constrains
• Two forces present in every tribe: power and love and how they play out in modern organizations
• What to do to set foundations for a healthy culture in a start-up or a new team
• How to effectively deal with diversity in a team and create true inclusivity
• The three stages of change and the different types of leadership required for each of the stages
• The nature and importance of rituals
• The three questions you need to ask every day to cultivate an inclusive and healthy culture