At the David Geffen School of Medicine, we believe that a positive, team-oriented culture is not only critical to our ability to achieve our mission, but also vital to our well-being and cohesion as a community.
To enhance our existing culture and improve our strategic impact, the Dean’s Office launched a year-long culture audit in 2017. More than 1,000 DGSOM staff, faculty, trainees and students participated in a school-wide survey, focus groups and one-on-one interviews, sharing valuable insights into the strengths of our current culture, as well as key priorities moving forward.
The culture audit revealed three consistent themes:
These themes led to the development of the Cultural North Star, three pillars and 12 purpose statements that unite us in our shared mission; set clear and high expectations for our actions and interactions; and help facilitate problem-solving, decision-making and collaboration.
Together, these core principles represent our collective commitment to our mission and each other, serving as a daily guide for the decisions we make, the goals we set and the work we do.
Building a strong organizational culture takes more than message points.
It takes an active effort, every day, from every member of our organization.
It takes patience and an openness to change.
It takes resilience and optimism in the face of cynicism and setbacks.
It takes trust, in ourselves, and in each other.
So to help us on this journey:
DGSOM is kicking off the Cultural North Star with introductory HR and operational programming, marketing and communications campaigns, and regular email surveys to solicit feedback and suggestions for the Cultural North Star’s development and implementation.
Listened to > 1,000 DGSOM voices through survey, focus groups and in-depth interviews.
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Analyzed for key themes.
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Crafted Cultural North Star based on these themes.
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Aimed to distinguish DGSOM from peers.
Leadership “pressure testing”.
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HR programs.
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Marketing and Communications.
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Steering Committee formation.
Program pilots
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Town Hall with Dean Kelsey Martin: May 2, 2019
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Launch Day: May 6, 2019
Scale successful program pilots.
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Expand HR and academic affairs strategy.
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Develop accountability program development.
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Develop external communications.
Continuous improvement and iteration of programs.
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External campaign.
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Employee branding.
