Culture Change Is Everyone’s Responsibility

Everyone in an organization, regardless of position or role, has the daily opportunity to perpetuate or change the organization’s culture. Yes, everyone can influence and change an organization’s culture.

Think about it. Where do the best organizational solutions, innovations, improvements, and breakthroughs come from? Wise leaders know that they don’t come from them; they come from the people on the floor, in the field, and across the organization by virtue of their day-to-day working knowledge of the organization’s issues, problems, needs, and realities. In a recent conversation with one of our global clients, the CEO summarized his reality this way: “Whenever our people come up with new customer solutions, improved business processes, or better ways of developing talent, they are changing the culture to keep it aligned with the results we need to achieve. My primary job, as a leader, is to make sure our people are staying Above The Line and focusing on the right results. They do the rest.”

When people throughout an organization take accountability for making the necessary changes to keep the organizational culture working for and not against them, they always produce dramatic, sustainable results. That’s what we’ve learned over the past two decades of providing Accountability Training services to thousands of organizations worldwide. Above The Line employees (i.e., people who are actively and consistently taking accountability for achieving results) are much more likely to suggest or develop new ways of thinking and acting that result in improved products, enhanced customers service, streamlined business processes, reduced costs, and increased sales. This strengthens colleagues—all of whom shape the organization’s culture. Gallup’s research on employee engagement shows the same thing: engaged employees (demonstrated by taking accountability for results) are always better problem solvers, innovators, and agents of change. Business leaders who want to take their organizations to new heights must become better at developing greater accountability in their people for changing the culture, to deliver better results. Remember, culture changes one person at a time, and accountable people are always your best culture-change agents.

For more information on accountability, culture change, and building a Culture Of Accountability, we invite you to join the Accountability Community at www.partnersinleadership.com, where you can review actual client case studies.

Above The Line, Accountability Training, Culture Of Accountability, and Accountability Community are all registered trademarks of Partners In Leadership, Inc.