Your company is undergoing a shift in values. How do you ensure everyone is on board with the new culture?
Navigating a cultural shift at work can be tricky. Share your strategies for getting the team aligned with new values.
Your company is undergoing a shift in values. How do you ensure everyone is on board with the new culture?
Navigating a cultural shift at work can be tricky. Share your strategies for getting the team aligned with new values.
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Change in cultural values is never an easy task, for the simple reason that these are unconsciously wired in us. Usually, the best way is to recruit people who align with the values that the company wishes to adopt. This of course is a slow process. A classic example of this is the Taj Hotels in India. During a terrorist attack on this hotel many staff sacrificed their lives voluntarily to save guests, however crazy this may seem. A leader explained in an HBR study that this was the result of the practice of recruiting people with the belief that the guest is god. If you're impatient, look for some champions who embody these values, and use them as exemplars to inspire others. Use the ADKAR model to communicate and implement.
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Clearly communicate the new values and their importance. Involve the team in discussions to understand their perspectives. Lead by example, embodying the new culture, and provide training or resources to help everyone adjust and align with the changes.
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For starters, this is why we encourage companies to integrate co-creation into the entire strategy and journey. Involving your people in the shift from the beginning helps maintain buy-in, alignment, and any feedback that would deter others from being onboard. Also, to build off of this, to further implement your shift in values, think about creating a culture ambassador program (ideally as early as possible in the process). Invite employees at all levels to play a role in modeling the companies values and rewarding the others for doing the same. Peer-to-peer recognition programs that allow employees to nominate/recognize each other when they demonstrate a core value can be really impactful!
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You’re not really fundamentally ‘undergoing’ a shift in values until all people agree or (and this is important) give voice to what they need to get ‘on board’. So first you need to understand what your values are right now, and what people need to change. What will you be sacrificing that once was a valued value but no longer is going to be? And why? Only then the journey starts of living up to those values you now aspire to. And you know - that’s not easy. It takes grit and determination, humor and laughter, and continuous reorientation to those values. Use the powers of symbol, story and ritual to anchor new values in the collective memory. And foremost of all: set the right example. People do what you do, not simply what you say.
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In the times of change, we are exposed. We are vulnerable to the unknown. Culture change dynamics involve questioning values and possibly beliefs. Our behaviors are questioned and sought for patterns. As leaders, we're expected to walk the talk, lead by example. What worked for me is to admit own challenges, being honest and humble about what worked and what not. Next is to invite team members to such a non-judgmental and genuine dialogue. Listen what kind of concerns exist. Is the mission and vision clear for everyone? Is the purpose transparent and shared among all?
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