This document discusses how to inspire corporate culture change through six key steps: 1) understanding the current corporate culture and objectives, 2) identifying specific changes and how to implement them, 3) explaining the changes and benefits to employees, 4) realigning key performance indicators to drive the changes, 5) documenting, enforcing, and rewarding the changes, and 6) electing change champions and providing incentives to motivate change. The overall process emphasizes clear communication, employee buy-in, accountability, and recognition to effectively lead organizational transformation.

1. Authored By: Lisa Machos
INSPIRING
CORPORATE
CULTURE CHANGE

2. What is Corporate Culture?
Corporate Culture refers to the shared values,
attitudes, standards, and beliefs that
characterize members of an organization
and define its nature.
Corporate culture is rooted in an
organization's goals, strategies, structure,
and approaches to labor, customers,
investors, and the greater community.
INSPIRING CORPORATE CULTURE CHANGE

3. Ask Yourself Objectively:
• Do you have a firm understanding of your company’s
corporate culture and could verbalize its description?
• Does this description coincide with the overall
objectives and activities of the company?
• Who is really managing and leading the direction and
vision of your corporate culture?
INSPIRING CORPORATE CULTURE CHANGE

4. Know Yourself What You Want to Change
• Identify specifics as to
– what you want to change
– the method & approach as to how the change needs to
occur
– how the change will be measured to ensure its
effectiveness.
• Decide how you will communicate these factors to your
employment force, i.e. in stages, through training, rallies,
etc.
• Be organized and able to answer any questions; if you
don’t know all the how’s and the why’s, you will not be
able to inspire or lead the change.
INSPIRINGCULTURECHANGE

5. Know Your Audience
• Inspiring change is like a sales pitch:
– Explain why the change(s) is needed
– Describe how the change(s) will benefit each employee as an individual, rather
than the company as a whole
– Overcome the objections with logical reasoning
– Make it personal: Do not just explain this to your management team and expect
them to roll it out – it won’t work
• Be specific in what your employment force should expect with implementing your
change(s)
• Be specific in what the expectations are of them and why.
The worst action Executive Leaders take is assuming that policy can be deployed in a
memo without explanation. It’s a much smoother transition and greater results if
the reasons behind decisions are shared with your employment force and they too,
are sold on the idea.
INSPIRING CORPORATE CULTURE CHANGE

6. Re-Align KPIs to Drive Desired Changes
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are necessary to align with
your change(s):
– Provides the path for success for each individual and the
part they play
– If your change(s) is not measurable, it’s not actionable.
– Without measuring performance differently, change will
not happen
• KPIs need to be specific to each position or individual in the
company
• Ensure KPIs have corresponding metrics, data collection of
metric results through appropriate processes and procedures
INSPIRING CORPORATE CULTURE CHANGE

7. Seal the Deal/ Embrace the Change
• Document It!
– KPIs, processes, procedures, job descriptions,
performance reviews have to be documented and
structured
• Enforce It!
– Once documented, enforcing is easy
• Reward It!
– When metrics and results are achieved, or even
improved, make a deliberate point to recognize
individuals and reward departments
• Improve It!
– Business growth should always be evolving, any
corporate change(s) should include an exuberance for
consistent improvements as opportunities present
themselves
INSPIRINGCULTURECHANGE

8. Elect Change Champions
• Decide how many Change Champions you
need and what their specific function to
inspire change will be
• Select various positions at different levels
from which the candidate pool from which
to draw, i.e. a mix of managers,
administrators, laborers, etc.
• Have the employees elect their own
Change Champions
• Design separate milestones, KPIs and
incentives for your Change Champions
INSPIRINGCULTURECHANGE

9. Motivate the Change
• Find something that your employment force can “get behind” in order to motivate
everyone being on the same page:
– This can be as simple as a slogan all the way up to purchasing giveaways that
brand your change(s).
• Set a “Change Has Happened” goal or a specific metrics result to achieve, and
provide an incentive once it is achieved:
– Sponsor a company party, luncheon/ brunch, allow a scattered 2-hour lunch
for people to run errands, etc. something that will generate individual
enthusiasm for the goal. In some instances a friendly internal competition
may also be very effective.
• Publically recognize individuals that contribute to the change(s):
– It is critical to publically recognize those who contribute to your change(s)
objectives. Even if you have a strict budget where appreciation parties and
other rewards and incentives are not possible, publically recognizing your
employees’ efforts in front of their peers goes a long way and it inspires others
to follow suit.
INSPIRING CORPORATE CULTURE CHANGE

10. For More Information
Visit: https://www.lisamachos.com/lean
INSPIRINGCULTURECHANGE