Cultural transformation is an essential process for making companies fit for the future. KIROI step 4 in particular unleashes potential that often remains hidden and thus significantly supports the further development of the corporate culture. This means that organisations not only adapt structures and processes, but above all make lasting changes to the values and behaviour of their employees.
Understanding cultural transformation as a profound change
As part of a successful cultural transformation, it is important to understand that it is not about superficial changes. Rather, it is about fundamentally renewing the atmosphere, attitudes and cooperation within the company. In practice, such changes can be seen in the introduction of agile working methods, a stronger feedback culture or the promotion of teamwork and innovation.
An example from the automotive industry illustrates this: Through iterative working methods, the company was able to react more flexibly to market requirements and at the same time increase employee motivation. In this way, cultural transformation was integrated directly into everyday working life and lived with genuine participation.
Similarly, a medium-sized mechanical engineering company reports how value-based workshops and open communication formats have broken down silo thinking. The result was improved cross-departmental collaboration and new innovative strength.
The IT sector also shows that cultural transformation through targeted training and new communication formats enables a more open and constructive feedback culture. This example illustrates how sustainable changes can be achieved through concrete measures.
KIROI step 4: Unlocking potential through conscious cultural change
KIROI step 4 focuses on unleashing potential that has not yet been utilised in the course of cultural transformation. This is achieved by not only postulating new values and behaviours, but actually putting them into practice. The management level plays a decisive role here. Coaching and team processes support managers so that they act as role models and break down barriers to the implementation of new cultural characteristics.
BEST PRACTICE at a customer (name concealed due to NDA contract): In a medium-sized company, KIROI step 4 was accompanied by a multi-stage workshop process. Existing values were reflected on and new behaviours tested at the same time. The managers were given intensive coaching in order to act consistently as role models. At the same time, new communication channels were established that led to greater transparency and trust. The result was a noticeable improvement in cooperation and greater collegiality at all levels.
Other examples show how companies from the financial and healthcare sectors actively involve employees in the development of spaces that shape their culture. This promotes creativity and increases motivation, as people can bring their personality to the working environment.
Practical tips for supporting cultural transformation
The following steps will help you to successfully organise cultural transformation:
- Create understanding: Jointly recognising and describing the current cultural characteristics in order to identify potential for change.
- Develop clear target images: Define the desired culture with the involvement of all employees so that the target image is supported and comprehensible.
- Use multipliers: Managers and committed employees as role models and ambassadors who support and steer the cultural change.
- Use collaborative methods: Workshops, training sessions and open communication formats promote exchange and enable new behaviours to be tried out.
- Adapt structures: Change processes, decision-making channels and spatial design in such a way that new values and attitudes can be anchored in everyday life.
These approaches have also proven their worth in practice. For example, a large bank is supporting its cultural change through an intensive analysis of its current values, on the basis of which specific measures were developed and implemented. Employees were given the opportunity to actively help shape the change, which greatly increased acceptance and led to better results.
Cultural transformation: success factors and challenges
The success of a sustainable cultural transformation depends largely on leadership and the involvement of employees. Managers are required not only to direct, but also to be genuine cultural role models. At the same time, all levels of the organisation must pull together. Changing old beliefs and routines is often a challenge. However, it is precisely in such situations that impulses and support from specialised coaching formats are helpful.
Another area of tension is anchoring the new culture in the organisational structures. Only when decisions, rules and routines support the desired culture can a resilient framework for sustainable change be created. Accordingly, many companies report that an accompanying management audit and a catalogue of measures for training and communication were important elements in ensuring that cultural transformation succeeds in the long term.
My analysis
Cultural transformation is a complex but rewarding journey for companies. KIROI step 4, which deliberately aims to unleash potential, shows how essential it is to actively shape values and behaviour. Companies that follow this path and not only scratch the surface, but also bring about far-reaching changes, report greater innovative strength, better collaboration and higher motivation. Long-term support, tangible objectives and the involvement of employees are key success factors.
Cultural transformation is not a short-term project, but an ongoing process. It helps companies to position themselves sustainably in a dynamic environment and to develop the hidden potential of their organisation.
Further links from the text above:
Mastering cultural transformation: KIROI step 4 for decision-makers [2]
Successful cultural transformation for companies [1]
Cultural transformation - 4 steps and 4 networks [8]
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