Cultural Transformation

6. Q: How fast will it take effect?
A: The first results are usually seen within two to four months of launch, if done
properly. There are always the “early adopters". From there, the rest of the
population will come on board, so at the end of one year some good
momentum should be seen.
7. Q: What do I do with people who don’t buy into it?
A: Give them time. Not everyone learns, adapts, or applies at the same pace. If,
after 18 months or so they still show clear resistance (vs. just a slow “get it”
factor) they should be asked to leave. They need to find an organization with
a culture they can fully support.
8. Q: Do I tie it to compensation and performance appraisal?
A: Some aspects of culture transformation will have either discrete measurable,
or assessable, components (e.g. enhanced leadership competencies). These
could, and should be linked to performance management. Similarly the
recruitment and succession planning decisions should reflect the behaviors
expected from the culture transformation.
9. Q: Should I involve customers? Suppliers?
A: Absolutely. They will be affected (presumably positively!) by it, and would
probably greatly appreciate being included. By so doing, they may also be
able to contribute to its success, as well as gain some valuable insights for
their own organization.
10. Q: How does it impact new hires and the onboarding process?
A: For new hires, this is not a “culture transformation”, but the “cultural reality”.
The more clearly they can understand the desired behavior, the faster they will
model and demonstrate it. They can often add immediately and effectively to
the group that “get it”.
11. Q: Who measures the impact?
A: The culture transformation should ultimately improve shareholder value, either
directly (e.g. focus on safety) or indirectly (e.g. focus on customers). As such
that portion is measured by the CFO. The more behavior focused aspects
should be measured by HR.
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