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The history of change management teaches us that a simple recipe does not work. Change remains very
difficult. Our experience with clients has helped us identify themes and patterns, tools and models that
help leaders and organizations to change their culture. But the fact remains: anyone touting a quick-fix
transformation formula doesnt know what hes up against. Change leadership isnt simple because:
Culture is fundamentally about the meaning that Eliminating the traditional organizational hierarchy
people make of the world and the tools they have and structure, he sought to redesign the business
to deal with the world. Leadership culture is the around work processes. In a process-centered
meaning that people make and the tools they have organization (PCO), process engineers collaborate
to create shared direction, alignment, and with members of process teams to improve
commitment (DAC) throughout the organization. effectiveness. Employees are rewarded for individual,
team, and overall organizational success.
The goal of culture change work is to purposefully
and actively build capability for new ways of working. At ATI, the change was met with great resistance.
It allows for the new thinking, beliefs, tools, and Operating as a PCO required much more than
processes that will result in the organizational success. a change in the organizational chart and the
introduction of new systems. It forced people
As business strategies get more complex, the
throughout the company to rethink their roles
culture is required to grow into the level of
and responsibilities, as well as their relationships
complexity required to implement it.
with each other and with management. It called
Consider Abrasive Technology Inc. (ATI), a globally into question beliefs about trust, engagement,
integrated company with headquarters near authority, and collaboration alongside a reordering
Columbus, OH. The company designs, manufactures, of the business strategy and needs.
and markets diamond-based products for super-
It soon became clear that ATI wouldnt gain the
abrasive precision grinding and tooling. Number one
benefits of being a PCO without a correlating change
or two in niche markets, the company wanted to keep
in the culture.
that position and develop new product lines.
Most workplace leadersand most leadership
In 2001, the company founder, owner, and president
development practitioners and theoristsdont have
instituted a radical change in the organizational
transforming organizational culture on their to-do
structure and operations. The business goal was
list. And for those who see the need (like our clients
customer-focused continuous improvement of all
at ATI), they dont know where to start.
of the organizations processes. The cultural goal was,
as the president put it, to create a company that I
would want to work for.
Each successive culture moves the organization to a greater level of capability for dealing with complexity and
accelerated change. By creating and advancing new beliefs and leadership practices, organizational leadership
together has the chance to rise above their current behavior and thinking. As senior executives learn together
and grow from current mindsets to new ones, organizations begin to advance from one culture to the next.
While there is nothing inherently wrong with any level what your current culture is capable of will save dollars,
of culture, organizations must match the leadership and more important, time. You might leap to implement
culture to the operational need. Asking a command the next new thing, only to find out your approach was
and control (dependent) culture, for example, to off the mark. Instead, understand where your leadership
implement an innovative, agile strategy is a recipe for culture is today to develop feasible change plans.
disaster. In contrast, an interdependent organization Second, you have to understand the drivers and core
is better poised to handle a high caliber of complexity capabilities needed for your business strategy to succeed.
and challenge. As a more fluid organization, it will be What future level of leadership culture is needed to
able to draw on individual talent, connect effectively support the business strategy? It is the job of leadership to
across boundaries, and adapt as needed. Developing ensure that smart strategies are wisely implemented. This
leadership culture is about growing leadership talent is possible only when the culture of beliefs and the focus
to the needed level of capability. To break through on readiness to develop capability to implement is real.
the current capability ceiling, organizational leaders
must take time to connect two critical factors:
First, you have to know where your culture is in the
hierarchy of cultures. The way leaders engage with each
other and with others in the organization will depend on
the leadership logic that dominates. Investing in knowing
Vision
Implement
Strategy
leadership capacity
Whatever you do, dont pawn off the culture work on
someone else. Dont give it to HR. No one else can
create change for the executive team. No proxy can
and culture needed carry the senior teams responsibility.
to succeed? Where
are the individual
and collective gaps?
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2015 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.
Issued June 2009 / Reprint July 2015