How a change in culture can be sustainably implemented

The anchoring and not just the formulation of a corporate culture lays the groundwork for sustained value management. Turning theory into practice is no easy task because the time frame, as experience shows, tends rather being years, in which a “return on investment“ is frequently “beautified“ and the actual results of the change are very difficult to discern. The essential leverage points and required basic attitudes must be secured so that a successful change in culture becomes possible.

The loyalty to the company and to cooperation during change measures is affected to a major degree by top management. If this group is appraised as being ineffective, the readiness to move to a different company rises. If managers want to be appraised as effective, they must act with an orientation to their staffs and set a good example while at the same time making clear, entrepreneurial, strategic decisions.

Trust is a very fragile “asset“ here and takes a correspondingly long time to build up, while it can be wiped away within seconds with just a single action. Building up trust and the relationships and cooperation among staff and teams founded on this trust are essential for every kind of guided and practical cultural transformation.

The following basic attitudes with respect to change in corporate cultures have proven to be sensible and helpful:

• Taking advantage of reasonable and favorable points in time (making sure that the need for change becomes clear and is perceived by employees).

• Combining action with optimism (generation of an optimistic vision regarding the results which are to be achieved by the change).

• Awareness of and understanding for the resistance to change motivated by personal, organizational, or company-specific factors.

• Taking into consideration established standards and practices and any changes that may be necessary here.

• But changes in many elements also require the continuation of certain constants (identification of principles which will not be changed).

• Recognition of the importance of the implementation (acceptance, adoption, implementation, and institutionalization to advance the transformation).

• Selection, modification, and establishment of appropriate culture forms (symbols, rituals, language and vocabulary, stories, myths, metaphors, rites, ceremonies).