The Essence of Culture Change

Culture change is about one thing: shifting the Cultural Beliefs that determine daily actions. People in organizations have experiences everyday, and those experiences create beliefs, those beliefs determine actions, and those actions produce results. Focusing on behavior change is not an effective or efficient way to change culture. To achieve and accelerate real culture change, you must focus on the beliefs held by the people in the organization that are driving daily behavior (actions). Then you need to accept the reality that beliefs only change when experiences change.

Culture change does not depend on a large personality, inspirational appeals, astute planning, or giant leaps of faith. It simply requires honest intentions, conscious thought, and focused effort. What sort of effort? Effort focused on modeling the new culture for everyone in the organization. That’s what creates the experiences necessary to shape new beliefs. Yes, it is just that simple. Once you have identified the new experiences, beliefs, and actions that define the culture and results you want, start modeling the change.

Here’s how “modeling the change” works. Whenever you receive feedback that the way you’re acting or thinking is creating an experience for others that is inconsistent with the new culture, apply the Methodology For Changing Beliefs. These five simple steps will immediately get people looking for evidence of your true alignment and sincere desire to model the new culture. Both individuals and teams can use this methodology to stimulate robust dialogue around the new culture and desired results.

1. Identify the belief you want to change, and then say, “That’s not the belief I want you to hold.”

2. Tell them the belief you would like them to hold by saying, “The belief I want you to hold is … ”

3. Describe the experience you are going to create for them by saying, “Here’s what I’m going to do … ”

4. Ask them for feedback on the planned experience by saying, “Will that be enough; is there something else I need to do?”

5. Enroll them in giving you feedback on your progress, and then say, “Will you give me feedback along the way?”

When leaders honestly execute each of the above steps, they launch the same thought process in those who are watching. Soon others get the message that “I ought to be thinking and acting like that too.” The result? Everyone in the organization begins looking for demonstration of the new belief (i.e., new way of thinking), applying the new belief to their own behavior (i.e., new way of acting), and promoting that belief and behavior with their fellow workers.

Culture change occurs when leaders model the new culture. To learn more about the essence of culture change and change methods that actually work, we invite you to join the Accountability Community at www.partnersinleadership.com, where you can review actual client case studies in detail.

Sign up for one of our upcoming webinars to learn more about culture change and Creating a Culture of Accountability.

Cultural Beliefs, Methodology For Changing Beliefs,  Accountability Community, and Creating a Culture of Accountability are all registered trademarks of Partners In Leadership, Inc. All other registered trademarks and trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners.