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"Culture isn't something that's written on a coffee mug."
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Understanding the culture
If you are new to the overall organization, or the department you’re working with for your change initiative understanding the culture is critical to success. Even if you are a wily veteran, ensuring that you don’t harbor any pre-conceived notions about what’s really going on is important. Culture isn’t something that’s written on a coffee mug. To be a Level IV change leader (see related article) you need to understand the cultural dynamics of the current state of an organization, including the hidden assumptions and the differences between the stated values and the values in practice. Some questions to get you started…
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What came before?
- What is the change history?
- What are the past successes and failures?
- What else is going on in the marketplace?
- Where does the company stand on the confidence/arrogance meter?
- Where does the organization fall on the Change-O-Meter? (we made this up) Bleeding edge or status quo?
- What’s the history of the leadership group?
- How do they work together?
- How contentious and territorial are they?
- How have they worked together to lead change in the past?
- How has the organization reacted to adversity?
Jim Canterucci, founder of Transition Management Advisors, is an executive advisor and professional speaker on the subjects of change project management and innovation. He can be reached at 614.899.9044 or on the web at www.corpchange.com.
To subscribe to his free monthly email newsletter send an email to jcan@corpchange.com.
Learn about Jim's bestselling book Personal Brilliance at www.MyPersonalBrilliance.com. |