Culture Development Methods & World Class Change Management
This article discusses the reasons for change of culture, the obstacles, the mechanisms for change, how to manage the change, and a typical culture change project within the context of a world class change management Process.
Links to further Best Practices and Training below
The main issue here is having a reason to change. Unless there is a reason, management is unlikely to provide the motivation or resources for change and the personal pain barrier for the management team to cross will be impossible. (They are the people who need to change most.) The major catalyst for change is an emotional event e.g. a major threat, or opportunity.
A Significant Emotional Event (S.E.E.)
Without a culture that encourages change, change will be extremely difficult. The first stage of a change project is to measure the current culture. However this in itself is a difficult undertaking in a company that does not exhibit a change track record, since the survey process itself raises expectations or may be treated with cynicism.
This diagnosis must be confidential. It is important before embarking on a diagnosis that there is a commitment to fixing the problems highlighted by it. Otherwise you will build expectations, and not deliver. This could worsen the situation!
Very often the first actions will be to provide "hygiene factor" improvements (fix the toilets, paint the workplace, remove inequalities etc.), for which a small budget is necessary.
A culture development project can progress in a number of ways following the initial diagnosis. Typical culture development projects will result in one or more projects, following on from the initial survey, in:
The following summary provides a basis for culture change:
1. The survey
A typical culture survey project will include:
Topics for investigation include behavioural attributes such as: attitudes, peer pressures, ownership, beliefs, and organisational aspects such as leadership / followership, and communications. This topic is covered in the "World Class Change Management" workshop.
2. World Class Change Management
The diagram below illustrates our view of a complete & continuous world class change management process, which typically (but not necessarily) has an annual cycle, but at least a quarterly review mechanism. It is multidimensional (one dimension being culture). Product & process development dimensions might include:
It culminates in two types of change driver:
But:
The criteria for successful change include:
Developments are often not finished due to:
Typical outputs of an inadequate development process, are poorly designed and incomplete products or processes, which have not been thought through properly or cut short before they are finished due to other priorities.
These aspects of change are covered in our "World Class Change Management" workshop.
Poor communications are typified by:
Development of communications often requires a change of culture. Important in this is the removal of blame since nothing can be improved if problems are not seen as opportunities to improve. Secondly sorting the wheat from the chaff is vital. This can only be achieved if strategic objectives are clear and performance against those objectives is measured. This applies at all levels. From a company mission statement, to a daily stand up meeting to define today's priorities in operations. (These topics are discussed in detail in Focused Improvement Systems).
Thirdly if the organisation is functionally based, there is considerable scope for bureaucracy. Realigning the organisation in line with strategic objectives and work-load is essential. As a rule of thumb the number of changes of ownership in a process and the number of steps in the process are key measures of effectiveness and efficiency. This topic is discussed in detail in Business Process Re-engineering.
Finally an understanding of the appropriate use of communications mechanisms is needed. Often sending an email is used to record the fact that you have done it (a defence mechanism), rather than to move the process forward, or a meeting is called when a telephone call would do. (See Previous Best Practice of the Week 004: Meetings Management.)
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The following further best practice articles were also mentioned in this paper:
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Business Process Re-engineering (Organisational Redesign) Previous Best Practice of the Week 004: Meetings Management Previous Best Practice of the Week B006: Scarce Skills Management |
The following public training courses and in-house workshops provides solutions to culture change & communications:
Other related training includes:
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To discuss your consulting or training needs with one of our independent consultants or trainers please Contact Us.
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Summary: Best Practice Business Processes |
© SM Thacker & Associates (Consultancy and Training Specialists) April 2000, Version 4 February 2008
