Culture & Change Management

The culture of an organization comprises the attitudes, experiences, beliefs, expressed values and individual behaviours that define its personality and character.  While culture is difficult to define precisely, it can be observed and is quickly learned by new employees.  In very large organizations, the culture of individual work groups can be different from the organization as a whole.  In every organization, culture is strongly influenced by the leadership team …what they say and how they act, both individually and as a group.

Organizations that want to get better at what they do must face the need to change.  You cannot successfully introduce structure and process change without considering the culture of the organization.  How much change, and what types of change, will the organization accept before resistance appears?  Why do people often resist change, even when the future benefits are clearly understood?  How can the leadership team most effectively communicate the need for change, support the change process, deal with any resistance and ensure successful implementation of the desired change?  What role does “grieving” play in managing change?