Culture change is a challenging but rewarding process that requires the involvement and commitment of everyone in the organization. But how do you identify and engage the people who can drive and sustain the change? How do you find your culture champions?
Culture champions are the individuals who embody and promote the desired values, behaviors, and attitudes of the new culture. They are not necessarily the leaders or managers, but rather the influencers and role models who can inspire and motivate others to follow their example. Culture champions are passionate, proactive, and positive about the change, and they are willing to share their feedback, ideas, and stories.
Culture champions are essential figures within an organization, actively embracing and promoting its core values and culture. They not only live these values but also inspire others to follow suit, thereby fostering a positive environment. Their influence can extend to various facets of the organization, ranging from leading important initiatives to engaging in daily conversations, providing guidance and mentorship. They are proactive in identifying and rectifying cultural misalignments, working towards a cohesive work setting. As liaisons, they offer insights to leadership, ensuring that values are embraced at every level. These individuals are invaluable role models, vital in shaping, promoting, and sustaining a company's culture.
Culture champions are essential for creating and maintaining alignment and momentum for the change. They help to communicate the vision and purpose of the change, to overcome resistance and skepticism , and to celebrate successes and learn from failures. They also help to create a sense of belonging and trust among the employees, and to foster a culture of learning and innovation. Culture champions can act as bridges between different groups and levels, and as advocates for the change in front of external stakeholders.
Whilst local change agents have their place in any culture change programme, I feel that both the term 'culture champion' and their use in culture change work is dated, and often misguided. Forming a culture champion network is by its nature engaging, and easier to implement that other culture change levers (actual behavioural change), so it's often a (well-intentioned) 'go-to' to show that 'activity is happening'. Unfortunately, such efforts are not enough in isolation and unless the leadership team is bought into the need for change and recognises how they personally must change, there is no point putting champions in place. Once leaders are bought in, having localised support to advocate for change can be very powerful - but only then.
Finding culture champions is not only a one-time event, but also an ongoing process that requires observation, feedback, and recognition. To begin, you should define the criteria and characteristics of a culture champion based on the goals and values of the change. Then, observe and listen to your employees to look for signs of alignment and engagement with the change. Additionally, ask for feedback from your employees to determine who they respect and trust as sources of information and inspiration. Finally, recognize and appreciate your culture champions by sending them a thank-you note or giving them a shout-out in a meeting. You can even offer them a leadership or mentoring opportunity. Finding culture champions is an essential part of creating an environment that is conducive to change.
Finding your culture champions is not enough; you also need to support them and empower them to lead and influence the change. To do this, provide clear and consistent information and guidance about the change, involve them in the planning and decision-making process, equip them with the necessary skills and tools, encourage them to network and collaborate with other culture champions and stakeholders, and recognize and reward their efforts. For example, share the vision, strategy, and progress of the change with them, offer training or resources on topics such as change management or communication, organize meetings or events where they can exchange ideas, celebrate their successes, or offer them new challenges or responsibilities. Doing so will help create a community of practice and support.
Aside from recognizing their contributions to the organization, I find including culture champions in strategic planning sessions reinforces their role and helps ensure that organizational values are woven into the fabric of decisions. Providing this opportunity should provide visibility to key leaders. Building a support network, like a culture committee, can also facilitate connections and collaboration among other culture champions. This type of network encourages shared learning, collaboration, and synergy in promoting organizational values. I also like to ensure a multifaceted approach is in place, including providing resources, creating opportunities for influence and focusing on personal growth.
Finding and supporting your culture champions is not the end of the story; you also need to measure and evaluate the impact they have on the change and the culture. You can track and monitor key performance indicators to attribute them to the influence of your culture champions, for example customer satisfaction, employee engagement, or innovation rate. Additionally, you can collect feedback and testimonials from employees and customers to look for changes in values, attitudes, and perceptions. Lastly, you can conduct a culture audit or assessment using a tool or framework such as the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI) or the Competing Values Framework (CVF) to measure the culture dimensions and types, and see how they have changed or aligned.