5 steps toward meaningful, enduring culture change

Too often, an organization will try to change its culture with an internal communications campaign, kicking off with an all-hands meeting complete with a slogan and a mascot.

Although this is a great way to launch your transformation, the work to change your culture is much deeper and not just a job for the communications team.

Culture, the formal and informal way things get done, is embedded in an organization, and changing it takes hard, continual work. Because culture work is nebulous, intangible and ongoing, organizations often look to communications to do the work, but just talking about your culture won’t change it.

If you find yourself in that position, here are five steps to create positive, lasting change:

1. Start at the top. Senior leaders must be at the core of culture change, from championing the changes to leading by example. If senior leaders don’t do this, change won’t cascade through the organization.