cultural change

cultural change: is it an umbrella term?

without a doubt, change is linked to the culture within an organization. 'cultural change' as a term is a paradox in itself because no change is possible within organizations without the culture involved.
whether an organization wants to start up a new packaging line, switch accounting systems or implement a new evaluation cycle, the needs remain the same regardless of the type of change. Just think of team cohesion, clear communication and a well-outlined vision, good agreement frameworks, etc. All elements that are linked to the culture of an organization.

how do you create a burning platform?

In order to achieve sustainable change,
I believe that sufficient attention must be paid to the necessity of the change.
I spontaneously think of the story of Fred the penguin from the book by John Kotter, the reference when it comes to change management. The moral of the story is short and sweet: the initiator must be heard within an organization and help others see why change is necessary and why it is important to act immediately.

By the way: an inclusive culture can be a very important asset in this matter.

A burning platform can also be a catalyst to accelerate change processes. I like to compare it to keeping a wood stove burning. At the start you need fast 'burners' such as newspaper or wood chips, but then you need to switch to slow-burning material.

In the context of change, this means: inspiring leadership, formulating vision with a long-term perspective, communication (in accordance with the various target groups within the organization), removing obstacles (and acknowledging them), celebrating quick wins.

Finally and very importantly: acknowledge difficulties and admit your mistakes. Being able to admit that sometimes it is just really, very difficult. The basic condition, however, is solid psychological safety: being able to deal with situations in an authentic and vulnerable way.

how do you create a burning platform?

the story of Fred

an animated summary

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