Recognizing The Role Of Culture In Change Management

"Company culture is like a kitchen sink." Rajiv Narula, MD recently shared this simple but striking metaphor. I stopped scrolling. He continued... "If someone walks by and sees one dirty dish in the sink, they'll toss theirs in too. But if the sink is spotless, they'll rinse their dish and put it away." It's familiar image, but it carries a profound truth about how behavior spreads in organizations. Culture isn't dictated by mission statements or handbooks; it's shaped through what people observe, what's reinforced, and what goes unchecked. Small signals carry big weight. This metaphor resonates with me not just as a reflection on team norms and accountability, but also through the lens of innovation and transformation - both areas that require culture to be more than aspirational. Innovation doesn't happen in isolation; it needs space, safety, and momentum. And space is built by culture. If the organization "sink" is full - outdated systems, tolerated inefficiencies, fear of speaking up - people begin to lower their standards. They stop rinsing their own dishes. They hold back ideas, delay hard conversations, and disengage from change. Not out of apathy, but because the environment tells them: that's just how it is here. But if the sink is clean - if people see leaders stepping up, owning problems, and modeling the kind of behavior they want to see - it sets a powerful norm. Suddenly, new ideas are shared more freely. People take risks, challenge assumptions (respectfully), and support one another through uncertainty. Innovation, in that environment, doesn't feel like rebellion. It feels like the natural next step. I've been thinking about this in context of my recent post on the 'One Big, Beautiful Bill'... "It's time to adapt, to lead, to listen, and to build. Because what comes next matters even more." You don't get to 'beautiful' if everyone's still tossing dishes into a full sink. That's where leadership comes in. We don't just direct projects; we set the tone. We decide what's acceptable, what gets attention, and what gets ignored. Those choices become signals. And those signals shape culture. Whether we're inviting transformation or unconsciously resisting it, people will take their cues from us. When transformation efforts fail, it's often because they ignore the sink. Strategy is clear. Vision is strong. But the underlying environment doesn't support the behaviors required to change. If culture is passive, hesitant, or unclear, innovation stalls - no matter how brilliant the plan. It's easy to focus on big ideas, new tools, and bold visions. But if we're serious about driving change, we also have to focus on the smallest things: how we show up, how we handle tension, and whether we model the values we ask others to embrace. Culture is not the backdrop to innovation. It's the infrastructure. This morning I'm asking myself, am I building the right kind of environment? Or am I just walking past the sink?

Creating a Culture of Change Acceptance: The Missing Ingredient in Successful Organizational Transformation In my experience working with hundreds of organizations navigating change, I've seen firsthand how standard advice on building internal support can fall short. Most often, we hear the same recommendations: communicate the why behind the change, show enthusiasm, and hope for the best. While these steps are important, they are far too simplistic and, frankly, inadequate for overcoming the skepticism that inevitably accompanies transformation. Research shows that a lack of proactive strategy can result in widespread cynicism, doubt, and disengagement — effectively derailing change efforts before they even begin. Simply put, leaders need to recognize that while some level of skepticism is natural, how you address it from the outset can determine whether your change initiatives succeed or falter. In my work with the most successful organizations, I've observed a crucial difference: these companies don't wait until the change is upon them to start building support. Instead, they embed a culture of change acceptance long before any major shifts are introduced. This approach ensures that when the time comes, the organization is ready — not just in terms of logistics, but psychologically and culturally. When leaders build a foundation based on these principles, they create an organizational culture that doesn't just tolerate change but actively embraces it. The result? A smoother, more sustainable transformation process that engages employees and drives lasting success. Change isn’t just about messaging; it’s about building a culture that expects and welcomes it. In a world that’s constantly evolving, this shift in mindset is the key to not just surviving change, but thriving through it. #changemanagement #operations #programsuccess

𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗢𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝗼: ▪️Focus on external outcomes (market expansion, revenue growth, operational scaling) ▪️Deliver strategic blueprints without customizing to the internal cultural context ▪️Prioritize speed, metrics, and deliverables over behavioral readiness ▪️Underinvest in middle management adoption, trust-building, and communication dynamics ▪️Treat resistance as a people problem, not a systemic indicator 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲: 📉 ▪️70% of change initiatives fail, often due to cultural resistance and employee disengagement (McKinsey & Company) ▪️Only 12% of companies achieve sustained growth from strategy consulting alone (Bain & Company) ▪️Only 30% of transformations succeed long term, and those that fail do so because they ignore people, behaviors, and systems (Kotter International) ▪️Only 20% of employees strongly agree that their performance is managed in a way that motivates them (Gallup) 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗢𝗗 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆): 💡 1️⃣ 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: OD doesn’t treat culture as background noise; it sees it as the operating system. ▪️OD conducts culture audits and readiness assessments before executing change ▪️OD aligns proposed strategies with actual organizational values, behaviors, and history ▪️OD works to uncover the unspoken norms that sabotage good plans ▪️OD ensures the culture is ready before the change begins 2️⃣ 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: OD aligns structure, strategy, behavior, and purpose so that everyone rows in the same direction. ▪️OD adjusts performance management systems to reflect new priorities ▪️OD redesigns incentives, roles, and decision rights to support strategy ▪️OD avoids siloed implementation by integrating cross-functional feedback ▪️Growth consulting delivers what; OD delivers how, who, when, and why it sticks 3️⃣ 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰: OD measures success by what changes in the system. ▪️OD builds leadership capacity for modeling new behaviors ▪️OD shifts team norms and interpersonal dynamics ▪️OD reinforces new habits through learning, coaching, and feedback loops 4️⃣ 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲: OD practitioners build trust by: ▪️Engaging stakeholders at every level ▪️Creating safe forums for resistance and feedback ▪️Building co-ownership of outcomes instead of buy-in 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲: Growth consultants can deliver compelling plans, but without OD, those plans often wither on the vine. OD is the bridge that turns strategy into sustainable impact by enabling strategy to take root. #OD #OrganizationalDevelopment #HR #HumanResources #GotOD #Growth #GrowthConsulting #Leadership #ExecutiveLeadership Organization Development Network The Management Sherpa™

Change isn’t just a strategy problem. It’s a people problem. And one of the most overlooked drivers of successful change is self-awareness, especially at the management level. When leaders aren’t aware of how they show up, they can’t see how they impact others. - They might say they’re open to feedback, but interrupt when it’s given. - They might promote collaboration, but make all the final calls themselves. - They might encourage innovation, but create fear when mistakes happen. The gap between what leaders intend and what people experience often goes unnoticed. And that gap quietly erodes trust and momentum. Self-awareness is what helps close that gap. It allows leaders to: – Notice their default patterns under pressure – Understand how their behavior influences team dynamics – Adjust in real time when something isn’t landing It also sets the tone. When leaders model reflection, curiosity, and accountability, it signals to others that growth is part of the culture, not just a talking point. #leadership #change #leaders #nspandco

Change is constant in content teams. New tools. New formats. New expectations.  We talk a lot about adopting the latest technology and keeping up with emerging trends, but the real challenge isn’t the change itself—it’s helping people grow it. Shiny new tools don’t drive results unless your team feels confident using them. Fresh formats won’t land if creators don’t understand the “why” behind them. The human side of change, including the mindset, learning, & trust, is what determines whether your strategy thrives or stalls. So what’s the goal? A team culture where change doesn’t feel like disruption, but feels like evolution. Where learning, experimentation, and open conversation are cultural norms. And how do we get there? Equipping the change-makers on your team to bring people along. That means:   ✅ Communicating the why, not just the what   ✅ Creating space for learning and experimentation   ✅ Recognizing that adaptation is emotional as much as tactical  How do you turn moments of uncertainty into opportunities for confidence for yourself and your team?