Mastering cultural transformation: KIROI step 4 for leaders

Cultural transformation within a company is a challenging but essential process. Managers in particular play a central role in this process by acting as a driving force and role model. The fourth step of the KIROI model clearly shows how leaders can effectively support cultural transformation in order to establish long-term sustainable change.

The role of managers in cultural transformation

Managers make a significant contribution to the success of a cultural transformation. They are more than just managers: they are creators and multipliers. Studies show that cultural transformations are particularly successful when managers themselves take responsibility and authentically exemplify the new values. For example, clients from the healthcare, manufacturing and IT sectors often report that the role model function of their management is crucial to the success of cultural change. This creates a role model effect that has an impact on the entire company and accelerates the transformation.

In everyday life, this manifests itself in managers reflecting on their own behavioural patterns, showing openness and having the courage to question old habits. This was the case in a municipal administration that used intensive coaching to support its management team in establishing a more open and trusting communication culture. Or a medium-sized industrial company that used regular team workshops to break down resistance and breathe life into new innovation values.

Another practical example is an international IT service provider where managers clarified their values through targeted individual coaching sessions and strengthened their role as cultural drivers. This enabled them to bring about a sustainable cultural transformation throughout the entire organisation.

Integration of new values into daily management behaviour

Cultural transformation means not only formulating values, but also anchoring them in management behaviour. Managers must integrate these values into decision-making processes and workflows. In practice, regular coaching and further training help to promote the necessary ability to reflect and openness. For example, a leading energy supplier reports that team coaching sessions in the management circle have created a common attitude that is reflected in all operational units.

Similarly, a public research institute has created „resonance“ throughout the management team through continuous leadership development, which in turn strengthens a culture of mutual appreciation. Such a culture helps employees to feel part of the organisation and identify with its goals. It sustainably increases commitment and performance.

BEST PRACTICE at a customer (name withheld due to NDA agreement): In a six-week coaching process, the management team of an international logistics company learnt how to set cultural impulses that break down resistance and awaken a spirit of innovation. The managers now regularly organise joint reflection sessions and are thus actively involved in shaping the cultural transformation.

Practical tips for managers to support cultural transformation

In order to successfully accompany the cultural change, leaders should take a few essential steps:

• Authentic example of the values: It is essential that managers set a good example and demonstrate the desired values on a daily basis.
• Create spaces for reflection: Regular exchange formats and coaching sessions help managers to question and adapt their behaviour.
• Promote communication: Open and respectful communication creates trust and involves employees in the change process.
• Enable participation: Managers should actively involve employees in shaping the new culture in order to increase acceptance.
• Ensure measurability: Progress in cultural transformation can be tracked using measurable criteria. In this way, success stories can be made visible.

These practices can be found in many industries, for example in the financial sector, where management teams have successfully established flexible working models. Or in the retail sector, where customer-orientation was sustainably anchored in the corporate culture through targeted coaching. In the manufacturing industry, participative change processes have also significantly improved innovative strength and internal cooperation.

Shaping cultural transformation together with transruptions coaching

Transruption coaching offers customised support for managers on their journey through cultural transformation. It helps them to recognise internal and external resistance and develop strategies to overcome it. Clients often report that this support enables them to discover new opportunities for action and become more aware of their role as a role model.

An example from the education sector shows how transruptions coaching has helped school management teams to adapt their leadership behaviour to the new challenges and thus establish an agile culture that promotes learning. Similarly, a software company supported its managers in introducing a feedback culture that strengthens openness and trust.

BEST PRACTICE at a client (name hidden due to NDA contract): In a global consulting company, the coaching helped managers to harmonise their personal values with the new corporate values. This resulted in a coherent culture that is supported by all levels and unleashes the energy for change.

My analysis

Cultural transformation presents managers with a variety of challenges, but also offers great opportunities. The active integration of new values into leadership behaviour and leading by example as an authentic source of inspiration are key success factors. Practical support through coaching and targeted further training measures helps managers to utilise their influence effectively. In this way, cultural transformation becomes a living process that makes the entire organisation fit for the future and motivates employees. Companies from various sectors show that this path is rewarding and successfully accompanies change.

Further links from the text above:

Successful cultural transformation for companies
Mastering cultural transformation: KIROI step 4 for leaders
Cultural transformation - 4 steps and 4 networks
Managers as a catalyst for co-creative transformation
Cultural transformation - definition, procedure, example
Cultural transformation: tasks of the management

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