How ETH Zurich is discussing culture
Since March, members of the ETH community have been actively involved in discussing culture and values at ETH as part of rETHink. An interim report and a call to join the conversation.
ETH is talking about culture. “We should not underestimate this achievement of rETHink,” emphasises Nikolaus Gotsch, staff member of the Office of the President. He has been involved in the organisational development project from the outset in a variety of roles, including as a member of the operational team for the Culture Development workstream. “In my time at ETH Zurich, there has never been a university-wide discussion about culture and values – and I’ve been here for 40 years,” he explains.
Inspiring discussions
In March this year, ETH President Joël Mesot called on all members of the ETH community to reflect on ETH culture. The rETHink workstream Culture Development developed various tools and trained a team of volunteers who act as moderators for the discussions. The President’s call was heard. Over the past few months, many groups, departments, administrative units and committees have been talking about culture and values. The workstream team has so far received just under 30 feedback submissions.
“I know there have been other discussions too – official feedback isn’t always submitted,” comments Chris Luebkeman from the Office of the President and operational co-manager of the workstream. He is delighted at the positive feedback from the discussion participants. The discussions were generally seen as inspiring and valuable.
He also points out that many conversations held at ETH during this time essentially dealt with cultural aspects, even if these were not addressed by name. “I’m thinking here, for example, of the results of the staff survey, which are currently being deliberated by many groups and teams,” explains Luebkeman. “The gradual return from working from home and the new way of working together can also prompt a discussion that involves reflecting on culture and values.”
More feedback allows more in-depth exchanges
“The culture development process will be successful when ETH changes in response,” says Gudela Grote, Professor of Work and Organisational Psychology, who co-manages the workstream with Luebkeman. “The more we reflect on how we treat one another, the more clearly we will see the culture currently in place at ETH and how we want to shape it.”
The two heads of the workstream are therefore calling on all members of the ETH community to launch further culture discussions and join in this process of reflection. They would also like participants to share the results using the feedback form.
The feedback will be visualised on a miroboard and made available to the whole ETH community (access to the protected pagemiroboard with ETH password only). A glance at the board shows how intensive and open discussions have already been. Over time, condensing the individual discussion results like this will allow a consolidated picture of aspirations and reality to emerge.
Another invitation to join the culture discussion
Maximilian Buyken, head of the Office for Personnel Development and Leadership and member of the operational workstream team, has created a external pagetutorial for all those interested in initiating a culture discussion. He briefly outlines the importance of organisational culture, interviews Ulrike Lohmann about her experience of culture discussions, and explains how the miroboard works.
Anyone who is interested can also simply email to chat to someone from the team of moderators about possible formats and content for a culture discussion, or to organise support with moderating the discussion. Or take a look at the moderator box (access with ETH password only), which outlines different methods of organising such a discussion. It will only take one or two hours of time.
“Finding time in a busy working day is probably the biggest challenge,” comments Buyken. “But a discussion like this can be combined with other subjects, for example a review of the results of the staff survey,” he suggests. For those who fear that a discussion about culture and values could be too abstract or vague, he urges: “Make the discussion your own! That’s the whole point – discussing the issues that affect, preoccupy, trouble or inspire you and the people around you. The more specific you make the discussion to yourselves, the better.”
Launch a discussion
All the information you need to hold a discussion about culture can be found on the rETHink website, along with links to the external pagetutorial by Buyken, the moderator box and the miroboard, which is constantly updated with the results of the discussions.