Reed Hastings Company Netflix is not the first to catch people’s attention with its strong organizational culture. But everybody knows that the company has redefined how people watch shows and movies. The global story of success has also made culture in the workplace revolutionary. Netflix created its organizational culture based on responsibility and honesty among all parties using techniques that are easy to implement in any business. However, at its core, the company culture focuses on the people over the process. Netflix offers its workers generous benefits for them to act in the company’s best interests. The organization culture at Netflix blends well with the concepts in Watzlawick’s model of communication as it strives to maintain high performance by ensuring that all the variables of organizational culture get considered.
Watzlawick's Iceberg Model of Communication
Communication is a feature of human interaction that is always there throughout the process. But below the consciousness level communication automatically happens which can certainly save some effort but can have negative results. Even when one fails to communicate, that lack of communication by itself constitutes another message. Watzlawick formulated the Iceberg model to help describe the communication process that takes place during human interaction and analyze what causes a misunderstanding. It means that one cannot avoid communication since it can quickly get scrambled.
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Can “not” Communicate
This is the first concept of the iceberg model which urges people to communicate consistently. Watzlawick in this concept argues that every behavior constitutes communication and when people are aware of each other they continuously communicate. Besides, the lack of communication can be interpreted differently by other people. Netflix’s organizational culture emphasizes on open dialogue as an espoused value of the company (Hastings, 2009, Slide 17). In many ways, the company culture is all about honesty. Netflix is built on performance-driven teams that have a strong sense of loyalty and ownership which are other examples of espoused values in Netflix (Women Magazine, n.d., p. 1). The company culture urges everyone, from the management to employees to openly communicate. Managers are required to communicate regularly with their team about performance, and the members of staff are also encouraged to be in constant communication with their managers to get honest and constructive feedback. Though honesty might sometimes affect kindness, the people in Netflix should always treat each other with respect (Hastings, 2009, Slide 11).
Content and Relationship Communication Levels
According to Watzlawick, every communication has a specific aspect of content and relationship such that they classify each other forming meta-communication. Every response one gives to the communication content is concerning the context of the relationship between the individuals. Netflix offers culture and communication training for its management and employees to help them avoid leaving unintended negative impressions (McCord, 2014, p.75). They get taught how to read their communication styles and how others receive their communication. Telling the truth about performance without any negativity is an enacted value of the company (McCord, 2014, p.72). It is the company’s norm for managers and employees to converse about performance as part of the work process. Another enacted value of Netflix is the focus on work done and not on the number of days and hours worked (Hastings, 2009, Slide 69). It means that the company does not have a vacation policy or tracking as they also do not monitor the hours worked in a day or week.
Punctuation
Watzlawick with the help of his colleagues argues that the relationship nature depends on the punctuation used by the other in communication. The punctuation can potentially alter the meaning of a conversation. In any discussion, every item is stimulus, response, and reinforcement. For instance, an act can be interpreted as a response while others as stimulus. Netflix incorporates this concept by building trust between colleagues and the management by ensuring proper punctuation in the communication between the members (McCord, 2014). The company’s policy of brutal honesty through candid feedback gets done with appropriate punctuation promotes openness between the employees.
Digital and Analogic
This concept refers to what people say and that which they mean and how it is said and the nonverbal cues that it brings. One can pass on two different messages at once which can be problematic. Netflix has a communication culture that encourages employees and the management to communicate well concisely and articulately to avoid passing out two different messages (Hastings, 2009, slide 11). It is, therefore, an underlying assumption that the company does not keep any secrets about each other regarding their work. It also encourages people to listen well to understand better what is being said instead of reacting fast and giving unclear responses.
Symmetric and Complementary
Human communication procedures can be symmetric or complementary. This concept means that communicating parties behave as equals and or demonstrate a relationship of unequal power. Netflix has a culture of freedom and responsibility which shows a symmetric kind of involvement in the organization. An example of an observable artifact in Netflix is the freedom and responsibility code that the company has. According to Women Magazine, employees are encouraged to be responsible and give them freedom at work to make their own decisions (Women Magazine, n.d., p. 1). Netflix employees have the power to make decisions for the company and themselves allowing them to work on their terms. Another visible artifact is that Netflix rewards honesty and does not rely on policies. Netflix does not trust systems but instead puts its trust on people and pays honesty and frankness (McCord, 2014, p. 74). This approach to talent and culture has made the company successful.
References
Hastings, R. (2009). Netflix Culture: Freedom and Responsibility, Slideshare Presentation .
McCord, P. (2014). How Netflix Reinvented HR. (cover story), Harvard Business Review , Vol. 92 Issue 1/2, p. 70-76. 7p. 1
Women Magazine. (n.d.). The Woman Behind the Netflix Culture Doc. First Round Review.
