Company culture is a defining factor in the success of a business. Rather than being a slogan tattooed on a boardroom wall, company culture must be lived by each individual with the capacity to contribute to it – and that is everyone in your organization. To shift your company culture, you will want to get buy-in and get creative: that’s where Learn2’s effective, strategic and awesome approaches to leadership development come in.
Move Beyond Hierarchy to Develop Aspirational Leaders
Leadership goes so far beyond titles and power trips. The people in your organization whom others look up to should be empowered to influence positive changes that affect the what, how, and why behind things getting done. When you rely on a top-down approach to company culture shifts, you are less likely to get at the heart of your organization and instigate change that is as positive as it is sustainable and influential.
When you work alongside the leaders within your organization and provide them with the tools and freedom to champion tangible and qualitative changes, you will see how this ripple effect creates big waves.
What a Positive Culture Shift Looks Like in The Workplace
Whether your company is looking at launching a new line of products or a fundamentally new way of being, collaboration and consensus will empower the success of your evolution. Consult not only your leadership teams but also the team members who report to them to better understand the opportunities and challenges that will shape the success of your transformation. Once you have this data, continue to bring your leaders along and engage them in dialogue that will give them a sense of pride of ownership over your organizational changes.
A positive cultural shift will look like engagement and excitement. You will recognize your team members are eager to implement new procedures and policies because they understand why they are necessary and how they will support a better way forward. As leaders leverage their capacity to influence and educate, you will see the organization’s new mentality diffuse throughout your company and, hopefully, culminate in expressions of brand evangelism.
Best Practices for Leading a Cultural Movement
1. Get Everyone On the Same Page
Whether you are addressing a perceived or very real challenge, or you have uncovered a better way of doing things, ensuring your leaders understand the “why” behind your movement will be essential in its success. Communicate your intentions with feel-good messaging that avoids blame and energizes, rather than deflates all those people who have worked hard to get your company where it is today.
2. Engage Your Networks & Leverage Influence
When trying to influence cultural change, do not act in isolation. Your new purpose should be established through transparent conversations and invitations for a broad network of collaborators to contribute. The more buy-in you have and more strong personalities you have backing it, the more likely the sway of its messaging will trickle through your organization, invigorating countless people as it does.
3. Celebrate Often
When you see team members activating and acting on your cultural purpose, let them know, and don’t be afraid to cheer them on in a public way. When others see their leaders don’t hesitate to applaud brand champions, they will be more likely to go above and beyond to do the same. By focusing on celebration rather than censorship, your team members will feel excited about your cultural shift, instead of being afraid of it.
4. Mix Up the Where and How Behind Your Work
If your organization has always done things a certain way, if you maintain the status quo, how are leaders supposed to change things up? Consider introducing new workstations – tangible or ideological – where everyone is encouraged to embrace new beliefs, characteristics and tactics.
Inspire cultural shifts that create a sense of fulfillment, excitement and loyalty – from the inside out
Our team at Learn2 would love the opportunity to talk with your leadership team about the incredible potential of cultural change. As businesses from around the world rethink the way things are done; whom they want to appeal to; and how best to go about both, our leadership development specialists can be a fantastic resource to rely on.
Reach out to us today and let’s see how we can position your organization for visionary changes that spark enthusiasm and inspire more effective means of achieving your aspirational vision.
