Make Change Work: Staying Nimble, Relevant, and Engaged in a World of Constant Change

CHAPTER 14

CHANGE YOUR CULTURE AND CHANGE YOUR RESULTS

Everything you do to try to adapt and change and renew a company—whether it’s organizational change, marketing, finance, HR—takes place in a crucible and that crucible is culture.

—Louis V. Gertsner, Jr.

THE BEST AND THE REST

What separates the marketplace heroes from the has-beens and wanna-bes?

It can’t be only products, services, or price. There is competition everywhere. And yet there are businesses, government agencies, and nonprofits that don’t just compete with the others; they dominate in areas such as product and service quality, innovation, execution, and, most important, results.

Your competitors don’t hire all geniuses and leave you with the dunces. Their computer systems, compensation, and operational processes are not dramatically different from yours. When they discuss strategy, the words on their flip charts are not significantly more insightful than yours. The difference is, ultimately, an intangible. It is a culture where every person at every level is focused on and committed to doing whatever it takes—including readily embracing change—to deliver meaningful results.

That’s your primary leadership job: to build a compelling culture that becomes the intangible that sets your organization apart.

WHY TALK ABOUT CULTURE IN A BOOK ABOUT CHANGE?

We have known about the importance of organizational culture for ...