Your questions answered, Inside Track, February 2011
What’s the best way to persuade our leaders to lead the way in shaping a new culture for our organisation?
Although in theory it is easier and more effective to start organisational culture change from the bottom up – with small but positive changes to work practices and behaviours – you still need leaders to lead from the front.
Too often, leaders make the mistake of exhorting everyone else to change their ways, without realising that people take their cues from them. It has to start with the most senior leader. Discuss and coach him/her to make a public (yet personal) commitment to change their own behaviour – ideally based on feedback from their own direct reports or key stakeholders. The change needs to chime with the organisation’s values or new cultural aspiration and be visible, specific and measurable.
It is mentally and emotionally tough for leaders to admit that they do need to change, but they will soon see and feel the impact of leading by example and leading the way.
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