Why real change after culture change initiatives often fail

Repeated research over many years shows that very few culture change initiatives produce the desired results in public or private sector organisations alike and I believe some of the reasons could include:-

a) Attribution error - everyone thinks that every else is not changing because they are change resistant, while they themselves would like to change, but it is not right to make the change right now because of external circumstances (including other people's resistance to change).

b) Many corporate changes are planned in leadership or management 'workshops' as they are like theatres or churches.  No-one reallyimagines that you are supposed to do anything different back at work - are you?

c) Many people do not agree with the proposed changes, but did not like to say so at the time.  The silence that the idealistic leader takes as commitment is, in reality,  most people's chosen form of protest.

d) Regardless of any corporate initiative, the greatest influence on a person's behaviour at work is their direct boss, who is usually rewarded most
for Business as Usual results, so that is what they get their people to do.

e) Even when there is genuine shared understanding and agreement, even commitment to change, right now is never the right time. Tomorrow,
next week, "When I've done these things" always better. Then you never quite get round to it and after a while you forget you ever intended to and
eventually it doesn't matter, life goes on in the same old way.

I wonder how much real influence the external provider has on the outcome?

In my experience solutions to most organisational needs are nearly always to found inside the organisation, the problem is that senior managers rarely listen well inside their business, preferring to buy in 'expert' advice. I suppose that's the real reason for using external providers, they often make us see what we have stopped seeing because they bring a 'fresh pair of eyes', an unbiased, non-political, emotionally detached view of our organisations.

So, as I reflect, what does culture change need? The answer...

For culture change to be successful change implementation needs personal/team buy-in and involvement. This is where coaching can help because it encourages those you want to help to get on and try to implement their learning or their action plans straight away. This encourages ownership, accountability and of course taking responsibility; for your own decisions and actions thus gaining the all important buy-in.

In summary, there is a sound business argument for insisting that every leader or manager engaged in a culture change project has implementation coaching support from day one of the first training or planning workshop.

by Terry Ingham