Your team is questioning the sustainability of culture change. How do you address their skepticism and doubt?

We're going through a culture change now and hearing that concern..."Here we go again...." It will take time and concerted effort for a sustained period to overcome the skepticism. Among other things, we have included all levels of leadership in the development of the values and expected behaviours, which provided opportunities for conversations about such concerns. We included the same people in discussions regarding the rollout of the new values and expected behaviours, which provided another round of opportunities to address such concerns. By making all levels of leadership part of the process you get a better product, you give room to understand concerns, and you get a chance to address those concerns early.

'Be the change you want to see' is the obvious mantra that comes to life here. If you're skeptical about the stickiness of a culture change programme, then look in the mirror - are you willing to make it stick through your everyday words and actions? Are you willing to influence others to do the same? Are you willing to keep going even when you face push-back? Secondly, culture changes over time - the choices and claims you make today may not serve us in the future. So it's okay if a culture needs to change again in the future. That's not always a sign of failure, sometimes that's a sign of evolution and bravery.

When we think of doubt as an important aspect of critical thinking, we can hear people with more respect and with an ear for continuous improvement. I like to ask what people are worried about to understand what we can do to address concerns. Often, they will offer solutions as they feel heard if we are patient and let them complete their thoughts.

Indeed, to effectively address skepticism, it’s crucial to understand its origins. Often, doubts came from past experiences where change efforts fell short or didn’t meet expectations. Listening to our team’s concerns and validating their feelings is essential. From my experience being patient and give people the time to adapt is important to build trust—a critical foundation for transforming skepticism into a catalyst for positive change. #growthmindset

Ideally employees are engaged from the outset to feel they both contributed to the decision to make a cultural change and to contributed to what the change will look like. By understanding the why and what's in it for them it's possible to establish trust and employee advocacy both of which I've found essentially deliver meaningful and sustainable cultural change employees believe in. I've found being able to clearly articulate how success will be measured like for any other element of the business deliverables establishes credibility from the outset. It's been particularly fun to explore whether this holds true in both multinationals and start ups. My experience is yes - what do other think?

Absolutely. Sometimes vision statements are so lofty that they don't mean much to people. Helping people see what the destination could look like, feel like, etc and how it would change their day to day experience can be much for meaningful. Doing so can also provide proof points for others to connect to the vision more clearly.

A visão é a base do acontecer, do propósito e da força do sonho que terá de ser cumprido. A visão tem de ser simples, por forma a ser comunicada, “vista” e percebida, a contrário será ignorada e perde senso de propósito. Síntese da visão é base do seu sucesso.

Creating a very sharp and focused vision statement with the involvement of all stakeholders is key in ensuring that the change is well understood by all.

Certainly. Vision statements can sometimes be overly ambitious, making them difficult for people to relate to. It's more effective to illustrate how achieving the vision would tangibly improve daily life, showing its practical impact and creating stronger connections for others.

A sustainable culture change starts with a clear vision and strong leadership commitment. Ensure leaders are dedicated to modeling the desired behaviors and embedding them into daily operations. This top-down approach ensures consistency and sets a powerful example for all employees.

Implementing culture change in small, manageable steps can help mitigate skepticism. By setting short-term goals and celebrating small wins along the way, you demonstrate progress and build confidence in the change process. These incremental successes can turn doubt into enthusiasm and collective effort.

In my view, this is the critical ingredient to sustainable cultural change. Leaders must demonstrate the change they are expecting to see in others. What leaders pay attention to, measure and reward will influence behaviours. The team will also be watching for how leaders behave in a crisis. If leaders slip back to old behaviours and ways of working when things get tough, then the cultural transformation will stop in its tracks.

Leadership must embody cultural changes to show commitment. When leaders model new behaviors, it bridges the gap between words and actions, proving the organization's genuine, long-term dedication.

Absolutely. Leader alignment is crucial for successful culture change. When leaders don’t model the desired culture, the effort fails. I’ve seen many cases where decisions or promotions contradict stated values, or resistant leaders go unchecked. Values must be in action daily to drive organisational change. A culture audit can reveal whether leader behavior, decision-making, and policies are supporting the desired culture.

Debemos ser conscientes de que las acciones hablan más que las palabras. El cambio cultural no es solo un discurso, es una transformación que debe comenzar desde arriba. El compromiso es ser el primer embajador de los nuevos valores y comportamientos que queremos instaurar en nuestra organización. Predicar con el ejemplo es fundamental para generar confianza y credibilidad. Si quiero que mis equipos adopten nuevas formas de trabajar y pensar, debo demostrarles que yo mismo estoy dispuesto a cambiar. Al encarnar los valores que promovemos, estoy construyendo un modelo a seguir que inspira a otros a sumarse a esta transformación. Creo firmemente que el cambio cultural se sustenta sobre la base de los modelos que los líderes ofrecemos.

Maintaining an ongoing conversation about cultural change is vital for sustainability. Encourage your team to regularly express their thoughts and concerns. This continuous dialogue helps identify potential issues early and allows for real-time adjustments. Keeping communication lines open shows that cultural change is a dynamic process, evolving with everyone's contribution and collaboration.

Regular, transparent communication is vital to keep everyone informed and aligned. Maintain open channels for feedback and updates, addressing any concerns as they arise which shows employees that their concerns matter. This continuous dialogue helps build trust and reinforces commitment to the change.

Aus meiner praktischen Erfahrung ist hier wirklich wichtig, zwischen Information und Kommunikation zu unterscheiden --> das wird häufig verwechselt. Kommunikation ist KEINE Mail mit Informationen. Kommunikation entsteht, wenn Dialog wirklich und authentisch gewünscht und zugelassen ist. Formate, die zum Dialog einladen sind zum Beispiel Events oder auch Chats

Based on my experience delivering behaviour change programmes, I do believe giving employees, as well as leadership, a voice is critical to programme success. I tend to initiate this when conducting an initial current state assessment, ensuring I interview not just leaders but also managers, alongside run focus groups and surveys to reach a larger number of employees. This enables individuals to share first hand what's working, what isn't, and what they would like their experience at work to feel like. Taking this further, I propose mobilising culture change champions who primarily act as the voice of employees. It's also helpful to run monthly sessions with them to understand how the behaviours and other interventions are landing!

Não confundir bottom up com empoderamento. Nesta “ferramenta” nasce o pilar da equipa, da confiança e da fluida visão comunicada. O líder “preguiçoso” terá mais sucesso que o líder “doer”, pois como alguém escreveu: … a arte é tornar o líder “inútil” e fazer crescer a sua equipa.

Uno de los elementos clave para lograr la sostenibilidad del cambio es la confianza que las personas puedan adquirir en lo que se está transformando, en otras palabras que lo que se dice es lo que la gente ve, es decir la confianza que nace de la transparencia en la comunicación, la congruencia en las acciones y el sentimiento de valoración como persona. Y sólo cuando la confianza está sólida es cuando vemos que los cursos, los programas de agentes de cambio y otras herramientas funcionan. Para esto hay 3 puntos clave: la comunicación de hechos no de discursos, la congruencia de los líderes y la toma de decisiones en línea con la visión esperada, aún y cuando el costo de estas definiciones sea la impopularidad

Tatsächlich ist vielen der "Wert" von Kultur nicht klar - und auch nicht, warum das Zitat "Culture eats Strategy for breakfast" immer noch stimmt. Dies zu vermittel ist nach wie vor sinnvoll und: Dabei auch zu vermitteln, wie jeder, jeden Tag, mit kleinen Dingen dazu beitragen kann, eine Kultur(Vision) Wirklichkeit werden zu lassen

One of the key skills that every change manager should have is the ability to tell a good story. The human brain naturally responds to a good story - a compelling narrative, including a quick historical perspective, key players, plans and actions and finally the anticipated outcomes. By weaving together a change narrative, folks can imagine themselves as part of this story, which has a happy ending.

Do not confuse introducing the desired culture change with operationalizing it. Only when you achieve the change you want do you begin paying attention to sustaining it. Most organizations get nowhere near operationalizing the culture change they seek. Employees have every right to doubt and be skeptical.

Sustainability of culture change will endure as long as the people and processes in place cultivate genuine, sustainable habits rather than superficial efforts. Involving employees at all levels is crucial - Top-Down, Bottom - Up. Their buy-in and feedback are vital to the success of any change initiative. Without comprehensive employee involvement, proposed changes may revert to old habits before they have a chance to take root. By ensuring that leadership leads by example, maintaining clarity of purpose, and actively engaging employees, we can create a culture that is not only transformed but also sustainable in the long term. Sustainability of culture change is possible if we "do the right thing".

That's easy! Buy them the book 'Crucial Influence™' and get them to read it! This book (and fantastic course) is all about human behaviour change. How you consider it, plan for it, achieve it and then sustain it. It's not difficult. For any business strategy: No behaviour change = No lasting success Identify the fewest high level vital behaviours that would create the culture you want and have strategies in place to reinforce their use - if employees habitually exhibited these behaviours, you achieve the culture you wish for. Crucial Influence™ uses Six Sources of Influence to drive the vital behaviours. It truly works.

Change is rarely a linear process, and you are likely to encounter challenges along the way. It’s important to view setbacks as learning opportunities rather than failures. By addressing issues promptly and adapting the approach, you can maintain momentum and sustain the change.