Cultural transformation presents companies with major challenges. It challenges managers to actively act as shapers and role models. In the fourth step of the KIROI model, managers learn how they can effectively accompany this change and anchor it sustainably. Cultural transformation here means more than just change - it is a process that profoundly realigns the values and behaviours in organisations and thus ensures their future viability.
The essential role of managers in cultural transformation
Managers are the key players in cultural transformation. They assume responsibility by authentically exemplifying the desired values and acting as a catalyst for change. In practice, managers from various industries, such as manufacturing, healthcare and IT, report that their own behaviour makes a significant contribution to the acceptance and implementation of the new corporate culture.
An example from the healthcare sector shows how leaders established a culture of trust and transparency through open communication, which significantly increased employee motivation. Similarly, a medium-sized industrial company supported its managers with team workshops to reduce resistance to new innovation values and promote future-orientated cooperation. In the IT sector, a coaching programme helped managers to consciously reflect on their values and use them as cultural signposts.
KIROI step 4: Managers as drivers of cultural transformation
In the fourth step of the KIROI process, the focus is on establishing managers as active drivers of cultural transformation. This means that they not only perform management tasks, but also specifically exemplify behaviours that make the new understanding of culture visible. This step helps managers to recognise old patterns and courageously implement change.
For example, a municipal administration project supported its management team with intensive coaching to promote a culture of trusting communication. This had a positive effect on the entire organisation. Similarly, a globally active IT service provider organised individual coaching sessions that strengthened managers in being cultural ambassadors and visibly demonstrating a willingness to innovate. In a medium-sized manufacturing company, a team coaching process helped to anchor new values as inspiring role models in the corporate culture.
Practical approaches for the implementation of cultural transformation
Effective cultural transformation succeeds when managers utilise supporting tools and actively involve employees. The following methods are tried and tested:
- Individual and team coaching sessions to strengthen reflection and the role model function.
- Regular workshops in which cultural values are lively discussed and practised.
- Reorganisation of HR processes, such as selection, performance evaluation and further development, in order to anchor cultural guidelines.
- Cascading orientation programmes in which managers pass on knowledge and thus spread change within the company.
An internal best-practice case shows how a medium-sized technology company used cascading training processes to empower its managers to spread cultural change to all departments and thus sustainably transform the corporate culture.
BEST PRACTICE with one customer (name hidden due to NDA contract)
In an international IT company, we supported managers in individual coaching sessions to reflect on their values and roles as cultural drivers. This targeted support led to managers authentically and consistently exemplifying the desired behavioural model. As a result, the working atmosphere changed noticeably in the direction of more trust, openness and willingness to innovate.
Challenges and solutions for cultural transformation
Changing a corporate culture is not a sure-fire success. Managers often encounter internal resistance, entrenched behaviour and uncertainty. It is therefore crucial that they reflect on these issues and address them openly. In practice, clients often express the desire to strengthen their personal impact in order to overcome barriers within the team or organisation.
Approaches that have proved successful are
- Transparent communication about the background to the cultural transformation in order to minimise fears and build trust.
- Individual support to encourage the courage to question old habits.
- Promoting a feedback culture so that change can be experienced as a joint process.
For example, a service company was able to strengthen a culture of openness and measurably increase employee satisfaction through targeted workshops and continuous management development.
My analysis
Cultural transformation is a central building block for the sustainable development of organisations. The fourth step of the KIROI model in particular emphasises how essential the active role of managers is. They are the bridge between strategy and lived practice and can use their behaviour to provide the impetus that accompanies and accelerates change. Practical examples from various industries illustrate that cultural transformation can be supported and established in the long term with targeted coaching, open communication and structured programmes.
Organisations that are innovative, resilient and attractive to employees can only be created by consciously and continuously supporting these changes. Managers have the opportunity not only to accompany cultural transformation, but to actively master it.
Further links from the text above:
Mastering cultural transformation: KIROI step 4 for leaders
Managers as a catalyst for co-creative transformation
Cultural transformation - 4 steps and 4 networks
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