Leverage Culture for Change

Change isn’t easy. While the future it promises may be brighter, getting there will likely require patience and sacrifice from all those involved. Gaining buy-in requires listening to people’s hopes and fears and, as the leader, sharing your own. 

Leaders and sponsors tend to be well versed in the business benefits of their strategies and initiatives. That is ‘music to the ears’ of senior management and shareholders, but how much does it really mean to most of the people involved in or affected by a project or strategy?

To communicate a rise in business performance or shareholder earnings is unlikely to be enough.  These may mean little to the majority of people who will be involved in or affected by your transformation initiative. In addition to addressing the business impact of your initiatives, you also need to address the people impact. That is how it will impact on people in terms of their duties, status, privileges, workload, job security, income and so on.

Q: What concerns might people have regarding the future and your initiative in particular?

Culture is a powerful force within any organization; it can either be an ally or an adversary. To harness it effectively, you must foster a culture that, if not wholly embraces change, is at least less fearful of it. That means you must enable open dialogue.

Removing the Obstacles

Naturally we want to drive change – pushing forward with our plans, convincing people of the need, compelling them to act, and so on. However, at the same time we must tackle the factors that get in the way of people making the changes that are required.

To create a culture of innovation goes beyond slogans. It requires listening to people’s ideas, empowering them to take risks, making learning a virtue and so on. It is also likely to require tacking those factors that stifle innovation, including internal bureaucracy and committees.

Removing the Obstacles

Naturally, we want to drive change – pushing forward with our plans, convincing people of the need, compelling them to act, and so on. However, at the same time we must tackle the factors that get in the way of people making the changes that are required.

To create a culture of innovation goes beyond slogans. It requires listening to people’s ideas, empowering them to take risks, making learning a virtue and so on. It is also likely to require tacking those factors that stifle innovation, including internal bureaucracy and committees.

Ensuring Openness

People must feel comfortable voicing their concerns or anxieties about the changes ahead. This dialogue is where resilience and commitment are built and where the seeds for a successful transformation are sown. Getting people talking is key because when people are ‘in the dark’ their anxieties and concerns naturally grow.

Pay particular attention to the cynics and skeptics—engage with them, understand their perspective, and work to turn their doubt into constructive critique that can shape the initiative for the better. Their skepticism can often highlight potential pitfalls or areas that require more attention.

Q: How will you embrace the cynics and skeptics?

Generating energy and buy-in is not a one-off effort. It’s a continuous process that requires consistency in your actions and messages. Your team looks to you for signals, and mixed messages can undermine even the most well-intentioned strategies. Be consistent, so that today’s actions align with tomorrow’s vision.

Lastly, empower your people to ‘call it’ when something doesn’t make sense or feels off. This openness not only helps in keeping the transformation on track but also instills a sense of ownership and accountability within the team. When people know they can speak up and be heard, they’re more likely to be committed and engaged.

Customer & Community-Centric

Building Societies pride themselves on being customer-centric. Project leaders must keep customers at the center of their initiatives, listening to the voice of the customer and constantly striving to understand and anticipate their needs.  They must also ensure that technology unpins the community values central to Building Societies.