Organizational culture is not just a concept. Rather, it is embodied by every staff member of a company and is guided by its leadership. As Richard Ghilarducci says, organizational culture essentially is the “personality” of a company. Its shared set of customs, attitudes, values and beliefs characterize how individuals with a company interact with one another, as well as with external share holders.
Richard Ghilarducci mentions steps leaders may take to shape and drive positive change in organizational culture
Organizational culture plays a vital role in shaping the values, behaviors and identity of a company. A positive culture can help boost productivity, drive employee engagement, as well as contribute to the overall success of the business. It is the responsibility of business leaders to try and cultivate a healthy organizational culture that aligns with the values and vision of the company.
Here are a few steps that can help shape and drive positive change in organizational culture:
- Understand the current organizational culture: Prior to initiating any cultural transformation initiative, it is crucial to develop a good understanding of the existing organizational culture. Surveys, interviews, and focus groups can be used to evaluate the prevailing values, norms, and behaviors within the organization. This collected data will serve as a foundational reference point and offer valuable insights into areas that require improvements.
- Define the desired culture: Subsequent to gaining a better understanding of the current company culture, business leaders need to define the designed culture that aligns with the vision, mission, and values of the enterprise. This vision should be communicated to the team properly. Properly articulating the desired culture would help it to serve as a guidepost for driving change and aligning behaviors toward the desired outcomes.
- Lead by example: Leadership plays a vital role in shaping the organizational culture. Business leaders need to embody the behaviors and values they wish to see in their team, and the company. They must try to lead by example, and consistently demonstrate the desired culture through their interactions, decisions and actions. Business leaders can emerge as a powerful model for others to follow.
- Foster cross-cultural awareness: In the diverse work environments of today, cross cultural awareness is very important. Company employees should be encouraged to appreciate and embrace diverse backgrounds, perspectives and cultures. Training programs to promote improved understanding, empathy, and effective cross-culture communication.
- Align policies and practices: Aligning business processes, practices and policies with the desired culture is vital for driving cultural change. Business leaders need to take efforts to review and revise the HR policies, recruitment processes, rewards and recognition programs, and performance evaluation systems of the company to make sure that the desired values and behaviors are reinforced in every aspect. Consistency between what is communicated and what is practiced is vital to building a culture of trust and credibility.
As Richard Ghilarducci mentions, empowering employees is critical to fostering a positive organizational culture. Hence, business leaders need to provide adequate opportunities for growth, learning, and professional development to the employees. Empowered employees are more committed, engaged and motivated to the success of an organization.
