This blog is inspired by a comment on our recent post 5 Signs That Your Firm's Culture is inbred. Our reader asked what advice we would give to somebody who has committed to changing an inbred culture.
If an organization is truly committed to changing its culture, there is one critical issue that must be addressed if there is any chance for positive, lasting change to take place. That critical issue is personal accountability. Without a culture that embraces and practices personal accountability all subsequent efforts to change an organization's culture will be fruitless.
Why?
A vast number of individuals, by their very nature, are adverse to change. They don't like it. It scares them. It is full of uncertainty. To these individuals the devil they know (the current culture) is better than the devil they don't (the unknown culture).
If these individuals do not have a high level of personal accountability, they will likely ask questions that hinder cultural transformation such as:
- "Why do we have to go through all this change?"
- "When will they tell us what is going on?"
- "Why don't they communicate better?"
- "Why is this happening to me?"
These questions always seem to lead to the following seven words that kill cultural change: WE'VE NEVER DONE IT THAT WAY BEFORE!
On the other hand individuals who embrace personal accountability are focused on what they can control and what they can do to change their cultures for the better. These individuals ask action based questions such as:
- "What can I do to best adapt to this change?"
- "How can I help my organization change for the better?"
- "What can I do to better communicate with those around me?"
It should be easy to see the stark contrast between these two mindsets and how the questions we ask have a major impact on an organization's ability to change its culture.
As humans I think we are all adverse to change to some degree or another. What separates how we as individuals deal with change is personal accountability. Those with high levels of personal accountability accept change and ask themselves what they can do to best adapt to the changing world around them; those with low levels of personal accountability fervidly resist change, play the role of victim, and make life harder for all those around them.
If your organization wishes to embark on a journey of positive and lasting change it is critical that the journey it start with personal accountability. Activities aimed at increasing personal accountability are generally seen by team members as non-threatening in nature, and will do wonders to grease the wheels of change in your organization.
We recommend that anyone wishing to create cultural change start by purchasing the book QBQ! by John Miller for everyone on their team. This book is the bible of personal accountability and will help keep eliminate blame, procrastination, and victim thinking from hindering change in your organization. Click here to order copies for your team.
For those who are really serious about creating positive and lasting change we also recommend a personal accountability workshop based on John Miller's book – QBQ! This workshop can be self-facilitated by someone in your organization or by a Rainmaker Group team member and will provide the foundation of personal accountability that your organization needs to make cultural change a reality.
Give us a call at 1-866-988-7246 or fill out our online request form for more information about our QBQ! Personal Accountability workshops.
Remember… Personal accountability is the foundation upon which all organizational change is built. It's that simple.
Now go Maximize Possibility!
Other blog posts you may be interested in:
- Five Signs that Personal Accountability Isn't a Core Cultural Value
- Cultural Transformation: Don't Throw the Baby Out With the Bath Water
- Change Your Game Before Someone Does For You
- Who Are You Really Pointing the Finger At? An Exercise in Personal Accountability
Chris Young helps organizations Maximize Possibility through talent management, cultural transformation, and strategic intervention. Bring Chris in today!
