In a previous blog, I wrote about how I observed anthropology from the “outside in,” where I described my endorsement of our field to non-anthropologists. Here, I discuss anthropology from the “inside out,” or how I apply my skills and training to create solutions for my clients.

My Work History

A PhD in cultural anthropology is the backbone of everything I do. I have spent the past 20+ years applying the knowledge from my doctoral studies in various roles, each adding to my understanding of people and organizations. I studied the impact of work on women for my dissertation, titled “Women’s Employment in Mass vs. Alternative Tourism in Belize,” and continued studying organizations and people throughout my career.

After completing my PhD, I worked as a visiting professor for three years. Not landing a tenure track position, I looked for a job elsewhere. I became a Career Advisor for Graduate Students at Rice University, helping them prepare to enter the job market and found my awareness of culture differences helped me connect with students from diverse backgrounds.

To summarize my past experience, I also applied for a position advertised on a job board at a boutique consulting firm. Eventually, I became the Head of Research and Culture. Later, through a colleague, I joined a large healthcare system as Director of Consumer Insights. After two and a half years, a leadership change in the organization led to my job elimination.

I needed a new career path and decided to start my own consulting firm, something I had considered for years. After watching many companies attempt “culture work” but simultaneously demonstrating that they do not truly understand it, I created my own firm and used my knowledge of culture to help companies undertake lasting change.

Now, as the CEO and Founder of Culture Grove, I focus on helping business leaders create vibrant company cultures through a problem-solving approach, rooted in anthropology’s holistic and systems-level thinking.

I decided on the name Culture Grove because a grove is a great metaphor for culture. Left unattended, the grove will continue to grow. Yet, with new plants and animals, the grove may transform into something completely different from the initial plantings. For a grove to thrive, it must be tended carefully. I have found that the grove metaphor helps make culture understandable for people who do not know what culture is.

The Benefits of Anthropology

Anthropology teaches us to view issues from multiple angles, gather comprehensive data, and craft solutions that cater to those involved. Often, this method has distinguished me from colleagues not trained in anthropology. I have witnessed coworkers rush to solve problems without fully understanding the people and context involved. When I convince teams to stop, gather data, and develop informed solutions, we have experienced success.

One of the biggest challenges to my work has been getting the time and funding needed to conduct research to address clients’ needs. At times, I have not been able to conduct research that was needed to understand a problem. However, when we have been able to conduct research and design projects tailored to our clients’ needs, we have been successful. Over time, this success helps convince clients of the need for the research phase.

For instance, one client requested that we produce a safety video similar to one he had seen. Even though my design team had numerous questions about it, they wanted to jump into production. We needed to learn more about the safety concerns of the client. We conducted site visits and interviewed employees to understand their culture. This process enabled us to create an impactful and customized video addressing our client’s issues. The CEO was so pleased with the video that he requested a full learning program to accompany the video.

Distilling vast amounts of data into clear, actionable insights has been a game-changer throughout my career. Whether I am working with qualitative research findings or large data sets, or turning complex scientific data into appealing public campaigns, I ensure the information is accessible and impactful. I have collaborated with graphic designers to create comprehensible communications on topics like the dangers of sugar. Taking decades of research shared by scientists, we then produced a public awareness campaign including infographics that made the scientific research comprehensible and engaging.

In my current role at Culture Grove, understanding and shaping organizational culture starts with researching the current culture. Today, my work involves applying all I have learned about culture—how it operates, evolves, and can be intentionally shaped. Often, I feel like I am offering an Introduction to Anthropology course to the business world, helping clients grasp what culture means beyond the buzzword, as well as teaching them the importance of values, beliefs, and behaviors in their organizations.

People frequently ask if I use my PhD in my daily work. Looking back, it is clear that the skills and perspectives from my anthropology studies have been invaluable in every position I have held.

The post How Has My PhD in Anthropology Been Useful Across Diverse Occupations? appeared first on The Anthropology Career Readiness Network.