Getting the Culture Right in Your Local Authority: A Coaching Perspective

Culture is often described as “the way we do things around here.” In local government, where public trust, accountability, and service delivery are paramount, getting the culture right is not just a nice-to-have—it’s essential. For officers who manage people and aspire to develop as coaches, understanding and shaping organisational culture is a powerful lever for change.

This blog explores three foundational theories of organisational culture—Edgar Schein’s Three Levels of Culture, Carl Steinhoff and Robert Owens’ Cultural Metaphors, and Charles Handy’s Culture “Gods”—and how they can be applied by local government officers to foster a healthier, more effective workplace.

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1. Edgar Schein: The Three Levels of Organisational Culture

Edgar Schein, a pioneer in organisational psychology, proposed that culture operates on three distinct levels:

The Theory

1. Artifacts – The visible elements of culture: dress codes, office layout, rituals, and language.

2. Espoused Values – The stated values and norms: mission statements, strategies, and goals.

3. Basic Underlying Assumptions – The unconscious beliefs and perceptions that truly drive behaviour.

“Culture is not what we say, it’s what we do without thinking.” – Edgar Schein

Schein’s model reveals that while surface-level changes (like new policies) are easy to implement, real cultural change requires addressing the deeper, often invisible assumptions that shape behaviour.

Application in Local Government Coaching

For a local government officer, Schein’s model offers a roadmap for diagnosing and shifting culture:

• Artifacts: Observe team behaviours and symbols. Are meeting formats inclusive? Is communication open or hierarchical?

• Espoused Values: Compare what the council says it values (e.g., transparency, innovation) with what is actually rewarded or prioritised.

• Underlying Assumptions: Use coaching conversations to explore beliefs. For example, if staff resist change, is there an unspoken assumption that “change equals risk”?

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By coaching individuals and teams to reflect on these layers, officers can begin to align visible practices with deeper values, fostering a more authentic and cohesive culture.

2. Carl Steinhoff and Robert Owens: Cultural Metaphors

Steinhoff and Owens introduced the idea of using metaphors to understand and describe organisational culture. These metaphors help leaders and coaches make sense of complex dynamics in a relatable way.

The Theory

Common cultural metaphors include:

• The Family – Emphasises loyalty, tradition, and hierarchy.

• The Machine – Focuses on efficiency, standardisation, and predictability.

• The Jungle – Highlights competition, survival, and informal power.

• The Theatre – Suggests roles, scripts, and performance.

“Metaphors are not just literary devices—they shape how we think, act, and lead.” – Steinhoff & Owens

These metaphors are not mutually exclusive; an organisation may exhibit different metaphors in different departments or at different times.

Application in Local Government Coaching

For local government officers, cultural metaphors can be powerful coaching tools:

• Diagnose Culture: Ask staff, “If our team were a metaphor, what would it be?” This can reveal hidden dynamics and perceptions.

• Shift Mindsets: If a team sees itself as a “machine,” coaching can introduce more human-centred metaphors like “garden” or “community” to encourage collaboration and growth.

• Tailor Leadership Style: A “family” culture may require a nurturing approach, while a “jungle” culture might benefit from coaching around trust and fairness.

Using metaphors in coaching helps people step back from their day-to-day roles and see the bigger picture—often with humour and insight.

3. Charles Handy: The Culture “Gods”

British management thinker Charles Handy offered a typology of organisational cultures based on four Greek gods, each representing a different leadership and power structure.

The Theory

1. Zeus (Power Culture) – Centralised control, quick decisions, strong leaders.

2. Apollo (Role Culture) – Bureaucratic, rule-based, stability through structure.

3. Athena (Task Culture) – Problem-solving, teamwork, adaptability.

4. Dionysus (Person Culture) – Individual autonomy, self-expression, expertise-driven.

“The gods of management are alive and well in every organisation. The trick is knowing which one is in charge.” – Charles Handy

Each culture has strengths and weaknesses. The key is alignment between the culture and the organisation’s goals.

Application in Local Government Coaching

Local authorities often lean towards Apollo cultures, with their emphasis on roles, rules, and procedures. However, this can stifle innovation and responsiveness.

• Identify the Dominant Culture: Use Handy’s framework to assess your team or department. Is it overly bureaucratic (Apollo)? Too centralised (Zeus)?

• Coach for Balance: Introduce elements of Athena (collaboration, innovation) or Dionysus (individual empowerment) where appropriate.

• Adapt Leadership Style: In a Zeus culture, coaching may focus on delegation and trust. In a Dionysus culture, it may involve aligning individual goals with organisational priorities.

Handy’s model helps officers understand the cultural “weather” they’re operating in—and how to coach others to thrive within or shift that climate.

Bringing It All Together: A Cultural Coaching Framework

These three theories offer complementary lenses for understanding and shaping culture. Here’s how they can be integrated into a coaching approach for local government officers:

Theory	Focus	Coaching Application
Schein	Depth of culture (visible to invisible)	Explore assumptions, align values with behaviours
Steinhoff & Owens	Metaphorical understanding	Use metaphors to diagnose and shift culture
Handy	Power and structure	Adapt coaching to dominant cultural type

Example Scenario

A local government officer notices that their team is disengaged and resistant to new initiatives. Here’s how they might apply the theories:

• Schein: Through coaching, uncover that the underlying assumption is “new ideas just create more work.”

• Steinhoff & Owens: The team sees itself as a “machine”—efficient but inflexible.

• Handy: The culture is strongly Apollo—rule-bound and risk-averse.

Coaching Strategy:

• Use metaphors to reframe the team as a “garden” that needs nurturing and experimentation.

• Introduce Athena-like practices such as cross-functional projects and innovation sprints.

• Coach individuals to challenge assumptions and align their personal values with the council’s mission.

Final Thoughts: Culture as a Coaching Opportunity

Culture is not static—it’s shaped every day by what leaders say, do, and tolerate. For local government officers, this presents a unique opportunity. By developing coaching skills and applying cultural theory, they can become architects of more inclusive, adaptive, and purpose-driven workplaces.

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” – Peter Drucker

But with the right coaching mindset, culture can also become your most powerful strategy.