You're navigating shifting workplace norms. How can you align your goals with the evolving culture?

If you are intentional about the culture you create and try to create an environment where there is trust, support and emotional safety any cultural changes will likely just be directional. When your culture has a firm foundation of integrity, caring, and trust everything else is secondary.

Change is the constant. For a culture that is evolving, it will land at some point. It is evolving because people wants change. So it is intertwined. It is evolving to the direction that you are looking for? Everyone is looking to achieve their personal goals through the organization. So if the changes is to your direction, that's good. If it is not, what can you do about it? Are you in control to manage the change and redirect it? Some thoughts to think through...

It is still wise to be discerning in the changes you are willing to embrace. Some want change just for the sake of change, but are unable to show meaningful progress in the end because of it. It is important to keep an open mind with new changes that could be beneficial if implemented effectively and clearly aligned with long-term goals. However, it is also important to ask questions and evaluate the change to see if it serves an agenda that is ultimately not in the organization's best interests. One can still respectfully disagree and commit to move forward with the changes subject to periodic reevaluations, as needed.

Navigating shifting workplace norms requires a proactive and adaptable approach. Start by staying informed about the latest trends and changes in your industry. This knowledge will help you anticipate shifts and align your goals accordingly. Next, embrace flexibility and be open to new ways of working, such as remote or hybrid models. This adaptability will make you more resilient in the face of change. Additionally, focus on continuous learning and skill development to stay relevant and competitive. Building strong relationships with colleagues and leaders is also crucial. Effective communication and collaboration can help you understand and integrate into the evolving culture.

Aligning goals with evolving workplace norms requires constant reassessment. In my experience, setting clear, SMART goals is crucial for staying focused and adaptable in times of change. Take time to redefine your objectives in the context of the new culture—how can your goals support the larger vision? This alignment helps you not only thrive personally but also contribute meaningfully to the cultural shift. Keep your goals specific and measurable, and revisit them regularly to ensure they stay relevant as workplace norms continue to evolve.

I've found that open communication is critical in aligning everyone’s goals with shifting culture. During a period of rapid change, I started hosting informal “culture check-ins,” where team members could share their thoughts on how the new direction affected their roles and personal goals. One team member voiced concerns about feeling disconnected from our larger vision. By openly discussing this and seeking their input, we were able to realign their goals with our evolving culture. Effective communication made the entire team feel more connected and valued.

In an evolving workplace culture a Drama for Change initiative - using video drama at the heart of a campaign - is a powerful way to get everyone working towards the same goal. The video embodies popular concerns by dramatizing tough choices faced by a character who is adapting to the changing culture. Such scenes take a common problem and push it to extremes. Viewers immediately ask what they would do in that situation. Discussion of the characters' behaviour is encouraged. It's fun - like talking about TV, but more relevant. By focussing concerns on a fictional character people are free to discuss delicate concerns. New norms are established, interpersonal bonds are strengthened.

In current times, with accelerating changes in the workspace, especially in technological companies, anyone over 40 may be inadequately skilled, and this age is getting lower. It's possible AI may mitigate this, or it may worsen it. Coping with change needs two mindsets, one of adaptability with resilience, and the other of continuous learning to upskill. Both these get tougher as one gets older. However, the mindset can be built in through coaching by reframing fear into an exciting opportunity to learn and do new and adventurous things. Most companies provide support systems for new learning. For some, this may be an opportunity to discover one's passion and deep diving into it with learning of new skills as needed.

If the evolving culture is at odds with one's values, or the skills to learn not to one's liking, the professional facing a change in work culture would need to seek greener pastures. This would require enhancing their networking capabilities reaching out to their digitised address book and soon beyond it through social media. It's best to work with a coach to assess one's values, aspirations and beliefs as well as strengths and passion to determine what would be best for one. One can then create a strategy to establish credibility and visibility through social and other media to create and leverage networks. To be successful, one needs to home one's emotional intelligence skills to communicate and establish relatioonships.

Changes are constant now. It's quite possible that the next planned change would be for keeps. This requires an attitudinal mind shift for adaptation and resilience, as well as what would be meaningful for one to do. For older people caught in a change cycle not of their making, strategically reassessing one's needs is crucial. I use a wheel of approach with eight factors of wealth, position, health, relationships, learning, service, joyful hobbies and spirituality to help people assess where they are now and how they wish to reinvest time, effort and money to adopt a new balanced wheel of life. I often find people opting for more health, relationship, service, joy etc rather than wealth and position. Spiritual intelligence is strategic.