The unsung benefits of leading culture change

Hi there,

We all know that changing culture in an organisation involves an intentional movement led from the top, involving everyone. But sometimes, change at this level just can’t happen at the same pace you and your team need it to. You might need to *do something* for your people and your customers right now.

And this can feel paralysing, right? You don’t have the power to change the wider culture, so what’s the point?

But think of it this way. When we are in a group (like an organisation) the culture there is just a collection of experiences we observe and replicate. Moments that tell us something important about how to behave in that group. And yes, many of those moments happen in the wider organisation. But a lot of them happen in your team.

By focusing on those experiences, contained within your team, you’ll find plenty that you have the power to change. From?how you get the best out of your meetings, to how you support each other’s development. Or how to devise a flexible working schedule that actually works.?And changing these day-to-day ways of working could really impact your peoples’ experience of culture at work, for the better.

You might be thinking about the time and energy it could take. And that it might get messy and disruptive. But I’m here to reassure you that it's worth it. And to remind you of some unsung benefits that come with the process of leading culture change:?

1)?You’ll boost confidence in uncertainty.?

With all the volatility in the world, it could seem like a bad time to disrupt the ways of working on your team. But, in reality, the best time to act is when things are uncertain, because you’ll be offering your team a way to find some power to change their experience in a world where we’re all feeling pretty powerless.

2)?You’ll supercharge your leadership skills.?

The ability to lead culture change is fast becoming one of the most sought-after skills for future leaders. So, this will secure your place on that learning curve.?

3)?You’ll develop new talent.?

You’ll start to see people across your team volunteering to do things you never knew they were capable of (like facilitating workshops or influencing colleagues in novel ways).??

4)?You’ll build connection.?

Working together on a shared – and meaningful – mission is the secret ingredient for better connection at work. In my experience, teams who really get stuck in, and own the rebuilding of their experience, always enjoy a boost to team connection on the side.

5)?You’ll protect your team from burnout.?

Improving the experience of work within your team could protect them from burnout – especially if its root cause is toxicity in the wider culture.?The strengthening of your team ways of working creates a metaphorical wall around your people. This works to protect against burnout in two ways – it shields them from the ill-effects of toxicity and empowers them with a sense of control over team outcomes.

In summary - working on a culture change programme will give you and your team an opportunity to stretch both your mindset and your skillset. Not to mention the outcome: a better experience for your people and your customers.

And if you’re not quite sure where to start I have a course on LinkedIn Learning that goes through all the steps you’ll need to know.

I hope it helps.

Bye for now,

Erin

This newsletter is a part of a series to help you find ways to change your experience of?work?for the?better. Subscribe and you'll find it in your inbox every other week.