Culture Transformation: Creating a Line of Sight
Phil Geldart
Founder & CEO at Eagle’s Flight. Forbes Published Author. Executive Advisor for Organisational Culture, Leadership and Experiential Learning Expert. Helping leaders unlock the potential within their people
The reason for the culture transformation, or the benefit of its successful implementation, can be highly motivating.
When people understand the benefits that will occur as a result of a successful transformation, or even during the journey, then they are much more willing and able to support all the efforts that are required to achieve it. This understanding of the benefits is the far end of the line. The current situation is the near end of the same line. By joining these two points we create a line of sight from where we are to where we’re going.
When this line of sight is very apparent to individuals, and they are each easily able to identify the benefit of the transformation, then this provides a framework, or a backdrop, against which every aspect of the transformation can be communicated. For someone to remain engaged, and willing to undergo the changes which a transformation requires, then this line of sight must be absolutely clear.
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Typically, this is done well in the early stages but is lost over time. Those driving the transformation make the assumption that once the line of sight has been laid down for people then it provides a constant reference point. This is not true.
In the early days when the line is clearly articulated, it does provide a strong point of reference for people. However, over time, things happen. The line of sight is a bit like trail markers on a path, which are initially very clear, easy to see, and mark the newly cut path.
However, without constant grooming, the path can become overgrown, lost, or washed out. Without attention, the trail markers can become faded or lost. That which was so clear in the beginning has somehow in later days become fuzzy, or obscured, or no longer visible. Similarly, the line of sight between where we are and where we are going can become less obvious. It is no longer something to which individuals can consistently refer.
If the opposite remains true, and the line of sight is frequently referenced and refreshed then people are willing to stay on the path and push towards the end, knowing clearly that the effort is worthwhile, and their energy well spent.