How much faster could your team move if your culture wasn’t a roadblock, but an accelerator? I find that most leaders don’t understand the power of aligning strategic initiatives with the existing culture to get more strategic work done. Neither do most change managers.
There is a surprising lack of confidence in the ability to understand how to navigate culture to execute strategy. My anecdotal experience (50+ implementations) is confirmed by my research underway. To participate confidentially and discover unique insights about your own strategy execution skills, click here. I will publish the findings right here in Turbocharge Weekly in the coming months, and what this means for driving more strategy success.
The real question is: how much impact are you leaving on the table by not mastering how to use the current culture to your strategic advantage?
Instead of fighting resistance, imagine channelling that energy toward progress. Today I focus on how to do this.
Value of working with, not against, culture
Recently, a team at a mid-sized firm struggled to implement a new AI-driven workflow system which recommended suitable products for customers. The initial reaction: Pushback from almost everyone. The Grinch-like stakeholders who hate change!
People were insulted at the thought that AI could do a better job than them, that AI could make more suitable product recommendations than they could, for their own customers.
Then, instead of forcing change, the responsible executive re-framed the value of the technology. They aligned the rollout with the company’s culture of autonomy and open collaboration. Pull not push. The reframe: “AI is making a recommendation to help you, you don’t have to use it if you think it is not appropriate.” The result: The people finally started using the system to it’s full potential, adding significant “upsell” revenue.
3 tips to make your culture accelerate strategy, not block it
- Leverage existing rituals: Find the cultural habits that already bring teams together and use those as a foundation for your initiatives. For example, how can you use your existing stand-ups, award ceremonies, quirky local inventions.
- Frame change as evolution, not disruption: Highlight how the new approach builds on the current culture’s strengths, rather than being a threat. Endorse what is already working and build on it. In the example above, the re-frame of the AI platform acknowledged people’s pride in understanding their own customers best.
- Give the grinch a voice: Identify the naysayers early and ask for their input. Those who are most vocal in pushing back on new ideas could be your biggest asset if they are in the tent instead of outside. You can comment about grinch stakeholders here.
Once you know how to make culture work for you instead of against you, you can create a flow that makes change feel organic and natural. This approach builds trust, reduces friction, and drives faster results.
Once you know how to make culture work for you instead of against you, you can create a flow that makes change feel organic and natural. This approach builds trust, reduces friction, and drives faster results.
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Quote of the week
“A company’s culture is the foundation for future innovation.”
Brian Chesky, CEO and Co-Founder AirBnB
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____________ Keep turbocharging with a culture-friendly approach 😊🌱📈 |
PS Turbocharge your strategic influence 😊🌱📈
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About Lisa Carlin
Lisa Carlin is a Strategy Execution Specialist. She works with business leaders to plan and execute their strategies in tough environments. Her clients love having her expertise and guidance to navigate their workplace culture and use AI to achieve success.
Lisa created The Turbochargers Hub, so leaders can master the art of strategic influence and generate momentum for organizational change.
Lisa is author of the globally acclaimed newsletter, Turbocharge Weekly, read by 8,000 business leaders.
Lisa’s career includes roles at McKinsey and Accenture, then running her own business since 1999. Over this time she has delivered over 50 implementations with a 96% success rate.