Successful cultural change often starts at management level. Managers make a significant contribution to how values, behaviour and a shared spirit are lived and experienced within the organisation. In the context of transruption coaching, KIROI step 4 in particular plays a central role when it comes to supporting and sustainably establishing cultural change.
Cultural change as a management task: setting impulses at the top
The core of any cultural change is awareness and active shaping by managers. They are role models who not only define leadership values, but authentically exemplify them. An example from the IT sector shows how transparent communication has reduced uncertainty in phases of digitalisation. Managers regularly informed their teams about the change and the role of each individual in it. This created trust and openness - essential foundations for an innovative work culture.
In production, we often see how teams used to want to avoid mistakes. Today, managers who recognise and encourage mistakes as a learning opportunity create a culture of continuous improvement. This gives employees more confidence and commitment, which also has a positive effect on product quality.
In the service sector, too, managers are drivers of a culture-changing focus on customer orientation. They promote values such as empathy and partnership, which are directly reflected in customer contact and have a lasting impact on the entire company.
BEST PRACTICE with one customer (name hidden due to NDA contract) Managers at a medium-sized engineering company focussed on developing shared values with their teams. Regular workshops resulted in a new mission statement that emphasises openness and collaboration. This cultural change supported the introduction of more flexible working models and sustainably improved internal communication.
KIROI step 4: Involve managers effectively
A decisive impulse in the cultural change process is to involve and strengthen all managers. This is precisely where the KIROI concept provides support through coaching that is specifically tailored to the role and challenges of managers. The aim is to create spaces for reflection so that managers can clarify their own leadership values and live them consciously.
An example from the healthcare sector shows how communication between different hierarchical levels was improved through targeted leadership coaching. Managers learnt to communicate more empathetically and clearly, which strengthened cooperation, especially in challenging situations. This led to a noticeable improvement in the working atmosphere and therefore also in patient satisfaction.
In the retail sector, a large company supported its managers in a multi-stage process to anchor culture-specific topics such as customer orientation and digitalised work processes. Through coaching and workshops, managers developed a shared understanding of the necessary cultural change and have since acted confidently as culture bearers.
The KIROI approach also supports managers in public administration in recognising change as an opportunity and promoting innovation. Coaching created a space in which fears and uncertainties were addressed, while at the same time a clear attitude towards new values and behaviours emerged.
Practical tips for involving managers in cultural change
Managers are the central multipliers of cultural values. That is why it is important:
- Involve them in the change process at an early stage so that they can help shape it.
- Promote transparency and regular communication to build trust.
- to create opportunities for exchange and joint reflection.
- Offer individual support through coaching to strengthen role understanding and leadership values.
These measures help to shape cultural change as a living process and to lead the way authentically and effectively as a manager.
Anchoring cultural change sustainably through active leadership
A new culture can only be sustainably anchored if managers understand and utilise its impact. Their attitude and behaviour have a significant impact on day-to-day interaction. Positive leadership creates a working environment in which employees are motivated and can contribute.
In the technology industry, it has been shown that managers promote a culture of willingness to learn and change through constant dialogue and feedback rounds. This helps teams to respond to market requirements in an agile and efficient manner.
In the skilled trades, management teams often pioneer a culture that combines pragmatism and team spirit. Clear communication and appreciation create strong bonds that not only improve the quality of work, but also strengthen cohesion.
An HR consultancy reports that it has been able to support cultural change by focussing on meaningful leadership in numerous client companies. Employees experience new inspiration and meaning through leadership, which often leads to more commitment and less staff turnover.
My analysis
Cultural change is a dynamic process that is primarily controlled by the management level. KIROI step 4 is an example of how important it is to provide targeted support to managers and to strengthen them in their role. Their leadership values, behaviour and communication have a lasting impact on the corporate culture. Through coaching and conscious involvement, managers can actively shape cultural change and act as multipliers. The examples from various industries illustrate that cultural change can succeed if managers act authentically and involve employees.
Further links from the text above:
Cultural change - KIROI step 4 for managers
Cultural change takes place at the top
Cultural change: 6 effective steps to change corporate culture
Leadership and corporate culture - the role of managers
Corporate culture: definition and positive examples
Corporate culture & cultural change
Leadership in cultural change: the role of the manager
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