Culture - the Personality of Your Organization
How do your employees’ hearts and stomachs feel about Monday morning on Sunday night? Whatever your answer - that’s your culture, whether intentional or not.
Your reasons for wanting to change or redefine your culture can vary. Your business may be growing and you need more structure. Or you may be feeling misalignment between your organizational values and everyday behavior. Whatever the reason, it’s possible to make significant changes.
Transforming your organizational culture is a journey, and how you choose to navigate the transition is part of that journey. It takes time and intention, along with a clear understanding of your desired culture.
Here’s how one company evolved their culture into greater alignment with their organizational values.
Taylor was a client of mine, leading a small company. They reached out feeling frustrated and powerless. The team, previously collaborative and supportive, had become fractured and uncooperative.
Despite being a skilled communicator, Taylor faced significant team divisions due to communication breakdowns and misinterpretations. This left Taylor doubting their abilities and wondering what could be done to move the organization to a better place.
We began our collective journey by having Taylor describe the company’s current culture and then compare it to what was desired. Their ideal included what had worked well before while also recognizing new priorities. Emphasis was placed on having a culture built on trust, empowerment, and feedback.
Together, we identified gaps and discussed specifics, knowing that clearly identifying the underlying issues and behaviors were key to moving forward. Taylor focused on strengthening communications and clarifying expectations - for employees and management.
Recognizing the need to begin by rebuilding trust, Taylor committed to making changes and trying new approaches. Here’s how we turned things around:
Being an effective role model for change was essential. Taylor focused on matching their actions with their words and using a variety of approaches to understand the team’s perspectives about the current and desired organizational culture.
Next, we developed a process for Taylor to continue to receive feedback from the team on a regular basis. When Taylor began exploring ideas that the team had shared, employees saw that their opinions and perspectives were valued.
Proactive communication became a priority. Taylor intentionally shared both what needed to be done and why. Employees had the flexibility and autonomy to operate within those parameters.
Together, Taylor and the team developed group norms to supplement organizational values. These norms represented the mutual promise that team members made to each other about how they would work together.
Over time, these approaches have been customized to fit the company’s evolving needs. New team members are welcomed into an engaging and productive work environment. Best of all, team members now have the skills - and provide each other with the opportunity - to discuss and work through differences of opinion, valuing a variety of perspectives and considering new ideas.
Cultural transformation is not a linear process. Neither is it fast or easy. During this transition, it’s essential to stay focused and safeguard the progress you’ve made, ensuring the momentum for change continues and deepens over time.
Embrace the process, stay committed, and remember that with ongoing effort and dedication, you can create and strengthen a thriving and positive work environment that benefits your entire team.
My goal is to help you be successful. Together, we can determine what would work best for your organization.
Let’s talk about your current and aspirational cultures, then develop a plan to close that gap. Contact me to schedule a free consultation.
Nicole Norian is the founder of Chrysalis HR Consulting, an experienced HR leader, and a certified executive coach. With over three decades of HR expertise and a deep commitment to helping organizations thrive, she has dedicated her career to empowering leaders and fostering dynamic, mission-driven cultures.