One of the case presenters at the LA Symposium in February was concerned about getting the corporate culture and values message deep into the organization, at the level of front-line workers. This is a topic that resonates widely, I believe. In a sense, that is the whole problem of corporate culture change. Even if the executive team spends hundreds of hours in coaching, strategy, branding, and values-identification, how do the results get put into action, both in their everyday work lives and in the actions of the person who sweeps the floors?Too often I have seen enthusiasm at the “top” but cynicism at the “bottom.” What are the most successful strategies for promoting employee engagement and how can success be measured?
In the ICCO case, the presenter concluded after intense coaching and consulting that the organization needed to tell the stories that embody the culture. How and why does story telling work? One answer may come from brain research. We know that human “mirror neurons” fire when we see someone else perform an intentional action (such as reaching for a cup of coffee) in exactly the same way that they fire when we ourselves perform that action. In a certain sense, we respond to the reality of another’s actions as if it were reality for us. Could it be that we respond to the reality of another’s story as if it were reality for us? Could this be an important link in the co-construction of a cultural reality? Does this not put the emphasis on human relationships and interaction rather than tools and techniques as the means for culture change?
Posted by:
Linda J. Page, Ph.D.
President
Adler International Learning
Board Member, International Consortium for Coaching in Organizations
Linda,
Stories certainly help change cultures. But more is required. Leaders need to engage in conversations with the people they are responsible for leading about why culture change is necessary. These conversations should include leaders communicating their views and asking people to share their opinions and ideas. This is not getting buy-in. It requires considering the ideas and opinions of others before making decisions. By actively involving people in these conversations, leaders are more likely to create culture change simply because it allows people to develop mind maps from the stories they heard and reflection about their own relevant experiences.
Giving people a voice in values (or culture) creation is one part of the Connection Culture I wrote about in a free, downloadable e-book for changethis.com entitled “The Connection Culture: A New Source of Competitive Advantage.” Here’s the link to it:
http://changethis.com/44.06.ConnectionCulture