You're navigating through a culture change storm. How do you keep morale and motivation afloat?

Weathering a cultural change storm often depends on how the initial change programme was crafted. • Your vision is clear and compelling and communicated constantly • Involving your people from the beginning • Respecting and valuing their ideas and feedback • Adapting your plan • Enabling collaboration and buy-in • Establishing clear accountabilities, progress and outcome measures • Recognising and celebrating achievements of milestones • Resolving any delays, issues or resistance Then when any storm clouds gather, re-focus on the end-vision and benefits; reassure, open up dialogue to understand any obstacles; explore resolutions together and then resolve or adjust once again. Continue being positive, persistent and approachable.

Culture is often completely unintentional. When companies are small the leaders can model it, lead it show it and wrap their arms around it. As companies grow the “interpretative dance” begins and slowly the culture becomes unrecognisable. You can measure a good culture by capturing all the promises we make to our teams and then checking they actually happen. The term “storm” intrigues me. Is the storm because no one is clear about what the old or new culture is and why? Culture can be simple but the most important thing is that it is intentional. You will have a culture regardless, but is it the one you need?

Open and honest dialogue is critical when going through any change. As an advocate and practitioner of psychological safety, embedding the principles as part of an inclusive culture, ensuring every voice, opinion, and fear matters, is critical for problem-solving. Implement various communication mechanisms to support different styles, capture the rich data, evaluate the recurring themes, and address potential issues in priority. Keeping the lines of communication open and structured will help people feel included and know when and how to share views. As leaders, we should be confident in sharing the anonymised data and taking feedback on board. Who knows, it may answer the questions and challenges. 🤗

Culture change cannot just be imposed. It needs to be based on dialogue and co-creation. What is the culture that you want to create, what would it look like and feel like? The storm would only come from resistance due to lack of understanding, involvement and belief in the leadership modeling the new behaviours.

Transparent dialogue is very important, employees like to be treated like grown ups and want to engage to help and influence.

There is no one correct answer nor is there a magic bullet that enlightens us all. The key is understanding the cultural change. Once understood and you demonstrate your personal investment in the change, your team will respond and very likely lead. If you cannot show your personal investment in any change you cannot expect others to invest themselves

I see no difference in how I value my team during times of change and any other time. Recognition and valuing your team should always be demonstrative and public.

I once had a boss that said to me "We hire eagles that could fly in formation". This means you have to sorround yourself with eagles but not lonely riders. And at the same time be able to recognize them accordingly. In a way that the organization understands that it is fair and motivating for the rest.

Umgekehrt kann ich i.d.R. auch ausweisen, welchen Wert(e) ein jedes Teammitglied durch die Veränderung erfährt. Das macht die ganze Sache rund. Und da wir gerade von Wert und Werten sprechen, nehme ich das gleich einmal zum Anlass, um die Vielfalt der persönlichen Werte im Team in den Fokus zu rücken und den Austausch dazu anzustoßen. In einer Welt, die von Krisen, Unwägbarkeiten, Unsicherheiten und vielen Veränderungen geprägt ist, hat die wert(e)orientierte Unternehmensführung eine stabilisierende Bedeutung. Dies lässt sich aufzeigen, auch mit dem Feiern der Teilerfolge.

During culture change, valuing contributions means recognising not just outcomes, but efforts and learning. Shift the focus from celebrating only successes to acknowledging the courage it takes to experiment and the insights gained from setbacks. This fosters a growth mindset where team members feel safe to innovate and take risks, knowing that their contributions are valued even when the results are not immediate wins.

One thing I have found helpful in any transformation or change is the flexibility and open communication. Change is not easy specially when you are dealing with adults. People tend to be rigid to their old patterns and work culture, to make them understand that a new perspective is always good , we need to have open and transparent communication and the importance of that change.

Actually I disagree. The flexible get trampled on by those who have already take a firm stance on the outcomes or processes. For change to succeed decide ahead of time what is firmed up and what is flexible. This way the most adaptable have clarity on where they have freedom to input and where a decision has already been taken. The fastest way to derail a change project is to not be clear on the boundaries of who is responsible, and accountable. Who is the decision maker. All things after that you can be flexible on

With today´s challenges, purpose works better than profit, networks are more usefull than hierarchies, empowering motivates more than controlling or micro management, experimentation works better than excessive planning and transparency builds more trust than privacy. (Tanmay Vora). This are great insights to implement in any organization.

Flexibilty should be promoted and embedded as part of your corporate culture (e.g. agile strucure, lean processes, openness for new tools). This culture will help driving change better - because it is natural. So not wait for the change - start now. Furthermore empower your workforce by delegating authority and accountability, let then take more ownership- but that also means management needs to be ready to let go and let their staff shine. Not so easy :)

Flexibility isn’t just about adapting to change—it’s about anticipating it. Equip your team with the mindset and skills to become proactive change agents rather than reactive followers. Encourage scenario planning and role-reversals where team members can step into different roles temporarily. This not only builds resilience but also helps individuals understand the broader picture, making the entire organisation more agile and prepared for future shifts.

Day to day challenges and pressure for results can be a deadly cocktail to minimize emphaty. However, nothing is more comforting for a team member than feeling that they come first. If there is a tough deadline and someone has a family problem that needs to be taken care off personally, the team has to cover. Family comes first. Always. Results at all cost methodology proved to be a wrong approach in the 90´s. Promoting workholism is a short term win that will lead to people´s burnout. Results are very important but should not blur our judgement when it comes to support people in distress.

Navigating a culture change storm can indeed be challenging, but it also offers a unique opportunity for growth and transformation. As employees, we always have a choice in how we respond to such changes. We can either choose to stand firm, guided by our values and work ethics, or withdraw and resist the change. This choice exists regardless of our rank or position within the organization. Reflecting on my current experience with a job rotation, I faced a shift in processes, expectations, and cultural dynamics. To keep morale and motivation high, I focused on open communication with management to find win-win solutions and understand the new environment. In addition, I had strong belief that everything will workout for the best.

For me it’s understanding what people have to lose or believe they may lose, and therefore fear. Huge barrier and motivator for so many behaviors. Finding a way to create a pathway for some- to the new way or elsewhere through self recognition and therefore a sense of control in the storm; For others, it’s extra encouragement or reward or simply just connecting on a mutual level that can create a calmer port in the storm. Tailor your actions accordingly. Leadership investment in your people ultimately speaks for itself.

In general people do not like change. So you need to open communication channels and show understanding of the sorrows they see or have. Empathy and support will help to create a save environment where change can be executed, support and confidence will grow that culture change is achievable.

An example I’ve seen is when empathy is shown it can result in feelings of belonging increasing and in trust being displayed more frequently. When this is practiced more frequently it demonstrates that leadership is really caring and concerned

Celebrations don't have to be big lavish events, a simple handwritten note can be just as powerful, key is to know your audience and think about how to celebrate.

Cultural transformation can be a tough journey, leaving employees feeling uncertain and disconnected. Amidst the chaos, celebrating progress along the way serves as a powerful anchor, keeping teams engaged and committed to the transformation. One thing I found useful is creating a "Wall of Wins" – a visual showcase of achievements and progress. It provides a sense of accomplishment. Employees see their contributions recognized and valued. Fosters teamwork as collaborative efforts get highlighted, and Inspires continued efforts. Progress is connected to the overarching vision, maintaining focus and direction. Remember, celebrating progress is crucial for maintaining morale and motivation during times of significant change.

Celebrating small progress during a culture change can significantly uplift morale and motivation, helping teams stay engaged and resilient. For instance, a company implementing a new collaborative tool could acknowledge the first successful team project completed using the tool. Acknowledging this milestone with a team shoutout or a small reward reinforces positive behaviour and boosts confidence. Another example is a department shifting to a customer-centric approach celebrating a notable customer compliment. Recognizing these small wins helps maintain momentum and keeps the team focused on their objectives, fostering a sense of achievement and encouraging continuous effort amid the broader culture change.

Acknowledging small wins during cultural change: Boosts morale Reinforces positive behaviors Provides motivation Reduces stress Fosters a positive team culture By acknowledging small wins, you can help your team stay motivated and focused on the positive aspects of change.