A Magic Pill

The other day, I heard a story of a consultant who had been hired by a mid-size business to transform its corporate culture to match that of their industry leader. The consultant who had worked for the leader was confident that she could achieve this. Unfortunately, the new employer’s dream did not come true, and the disillusioned company ended up firing the consultant.

What could have gone wrong in that case? Countless things. I do not want to speculate or guess, but the story made me contemplate the idea of changing corporate culture, and more specifically, copying it. Let me share my thoughts with you.

1. Can corporate culture change? Absolutely, why not. A company is essentially a society, a group of individuals. If we consider the same question in the context of a person, a family, or even a nation, the answer would be yes. Throughout human history, there have been numerous examples of such changes. If you reflect on your own experiences, you may also notice traces of your own culture changes over time: after reading a great book, switching schools, meeting someone significant for you, or travelling to a different place. Now, expand your perspective and observe your social circles. Has their culture changed since they first appeared? Most likely.

2. Can corporate culture be changed intentionally? In other words, instead of waiting for it to change naturally, can we actively enforce such a change? Certainly. I am sure you can find plenty of examples in your own experiences as well as in human history (although, unfortunately, many of them are negative).

3. Can it be done quickly? My immediate answer is no. Never. Changing a group’s culture means changing the culture of every individual member in that group. Such changes cannot happen overnight, nor can they be synchronised within the group. They require thorough preparation, planning, meticulous implementation, and adaptable adjustments to the ever-changing environment. When it comes to ephemeral matters like culture, one can never plan everything or expect that everything will go according to plan. The initiator of the change must realise that this project is a long-term strategy rather than a quick tactical move.

4. Can a single individual drive the change? Well… Yes, but only if that individual can ignite change in others. It is not enough just to know what needs to be done and how; it is crucial to take action and inspire others. Like a doctor, a consultant may be valuable in collecting case history, identifying symptoms, running tests, forming diagnoses, and creating treatment plan. However, no patient can be cured against their will. The treatment may be painful and unpleasant, which emphasises the importance of the patient’s motivation. To continue the analogy, it is vital that the patient’s brain — the company’s leadership — were determined to undergo the treatment.

Although I love this medical analogy, we should not take it too far into physiologism. Humans cannot be compared with organs or cells that act simply upon the brain’s signals. Humans have their own conscience, which makes a group of them an even more complex system because it has also a collective conscience. To drive change, one must ignite that collective consciousness as well, even if some individuals may resist it.

5. Let us return to the initial case. Remember, the idea was to copy the industry leader’s culture. So… Can corporate culture be copied? Ha ha. This reminds me of a practical joke that was popular when copy machines were introduced in corporate offices. If you are too young to have witnessed it, you may have seen it in films. A careless office worker loses his trousers, sits on the scanning screen, and voilà. He gets a copy of his bottom. To me, attempts to copy corporate culture look quite similar. Going back to the medical analogy, no two patients can be treated in exactly the same way because no two patients are exactly the same, even if human cloning were legalised. When doctors create treatment plans, they use all their knowledge but consider various individual factors and adapt the approach accordingly. Sometimes, they have to employ the trial and error method. Sometimes, even the best doctors fail.

So, what should a mid-size business do if they feel the need to change their corporate culture? Is it an unattainable dream? Absolutely not. The feeling itself is a clear indication that change is necessary. Should they not hire anyone to undertake the endeavour? Why not? An expert perspective can be valuable. However, they should not expect a single expert to do the job quickly and on their own. Proper ignition, dedication, motivation, leadership, and collaboration are essential ingredients of the effective change management. It is not a magic pill, and the company should be aware of that. It is a long journey, and the business must be willing to embark on it.