Idea in Brief
The Problem
Most business leaders approach cultural change in a formal, analytic manner: by holding workshops to define values and revising HR protocols and practices. That almost never works.
Why It Happens
The values, beliefs, and norms that make up an organization’s culture are hard to define, and people instinctively resist attempts to alter established behaviors and relationships.
The Solution
Since organizational culture is embodied in the stories employees share, start by changing those stories. Create new narratives that reinforce the desired culture and are deeply inconsistent with the old one. That will signal your commitment to cultural change and empower employees to craft their own culture-changing stories.