While
most executives recognize the importance of organizational culture,
common misconceptions cause many leaders to shy away from tackling it
directly.
It takes a generation to change an organization's culture.
WRONG. With the approach outlined in this monograph, an organization's
culture can be changed dramatically in less than a year, with early results
noticeable by your internal customers in a matter of months.
Culture is amorphous; there's no way to change it directly.
WRONG. Culture can be explicitly designed by a
leadership team. This monograph explains the process.
The way to change culture is by preaching a set of core values.
WRONG. As popular as it's been in recent years,
the values-based approach has proven ineffective. This monograph explains
why, and describes a more practical alternative.
Culture has to be addressed at the corporate level; there's nothing
I can do within my department.
WRONG. While every corporation has an overriding
culture, each department within it has a sub-culture. Department leaders
have both the right and the responsibility to ensure that their sub-culture
is effective for their organization's mission.
This monograph defines organizational culture, demonstrates its
importance, introduces the specific themes within a comprehensive framework,
and overviews a practical process for driving cultural change quickly.