Your team is grappling with shifting company culture. How can you help them navigate the changes effectively?

Change is hard and most of us won't willingly embrace it until we see what's in it for us. What has worked well for me is learning how change impacts team members individually and work to understand their resistance to it. What do they fear? Do they lack understanding on how change affects them personally or their careers? Just having a 1:1 dialog about it makes them feel like they have a say in the process and their opinion matters. Sometimes an underlying issues can be addressed with a simple accommodation. My approach fosters open and ongoing communication as we all adjust. The goal is to keep the team engaged and motivated through the change process so they feel empowered to progress beyond the status quo.

For most organisations the company culture is a little ethereal until it goes toxic. Most employees do not experience the company culture so much as they experience the day to day work environment. These are not the same. Generally, the CEO and C-Suite care about company culture and the employees care about work environment.

We know that the change is inevitable part of our lives. We embrace it. Yet in the times of transformational change, we all are exposed. Culture change dynamics involve questioning values , behaviours and possibly beliefs. Our behaviors are questioned and sought for patterns. As leaders , it is our role to provide sense of stability in the volatile times, provide the structure behind the un-strucured. Also, to explain the strategic direction, using the language that is understandable the people affected.

As a leader you are responsible to ensure that the strategic vision is understood. Communicate openly, be clear about the goals and do not shy away from admitting the challenges. Be proactive to invite people to an open dialogue. Enquire specifically about values - they are the cornerstone of our behaviors. Ensure safe and non-judgemental environment where no questions or answers are considered silly. Rather, they are pieces of information around what is important to us. Leaders' credibility lays on the fundaments of honesty. Be honest with yourself, appreciate honesty of others. Invite diversity of thoughts.

As leaders, we're expected to walk the talk, lead by example. I see the role of a Leader to be an anchor in the times of transition, to structure the un-structured. Last but not least, assure team that they are not left alone with the challenges and they can count on your back-up, regardless of the situation. Trust and credibility is gained when values are expressed in actions not slogans - they shall speak for themselves. 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.

Leading by example during a culture shift not only means being the role model but ensuring that everyone understands what is changing, why it's changing and how we plan to implement it. It's a team effort. I have found it best to start by setting everyone up for success through clear communication and equipping them with tools and resources to ease the struggle of change. I encourage my team to lead where they stand and not only hold themselves and their teammates accountable, but holding me accountable as well. This way change feels less like something done "to" them, but rather "through" them. I enjoy "catching them in the act" of embracing change and recognizing and rewarding them for it.

The success of change efforts is built on trust. Credibility and trust of leaders is built by the assurance - expressed in actions not words - that the needs of your people are addressed or met. Among the human needs - in the Maslow's hierarchy - there is the need to be seen and heard, the assurance that voices of team members matter. As a leader, become attentive to those. Show empathy and understanding. It is not always your role (or the org's) to meet every single need or feel the same feelings of every individual. Yet it is a servant leadership quality to help your people navigate organizational challenges with dignity. Acknowledge people's efforts (rather than the straight achievemients), recognize and reward for those.

We know that change is inevitable. Wise people say that "The only constant in our lives is change". Thus, we embrace it. We adopt the mindset of becoming life-long learners. That way we approach change with curiosity rather than resistance. Adaptability thrives on strong values and vision. In the volatile and unpredictable world, where everyone is expected to be agile and flexible, sometimes we may feel lost. Too much flexibility can create a chaos. Remember therefore that your role as a leader is to provide stability. Clarity of values, purpose and vision can serve as a solid base and point of reflection in navigating unpredictability.

We human beings are driven by rewards and recognition (whether we want to admit that or not). This is what we remember. This is what creates the momentum. Rewards direct the attention - in the moment. Wherever our attention goes, we do more of that. Recognition enforces the desired behaviour. As a leader, direct people's attention to their EFFORTS not ACHIEVEMENTS. Achievements are conditioned by external factors (there can only be one winner of a marathon) , efforts are invested by each individual independently (every athlete who finishes the run). Acknowledging individual efforts towards the common vision and goals is what increases the trust in leadership and their engagement to deliver.