100-Day Action Plan: Post # 5 - Respect the Culture

Remember to respect culture and to communicate. There’s an old saying that culture eats strategy for lunch. Respect the power of “how business is done around here,” and while you might want to change it over time, sudden dislocations create fear, anger and uncertainty. And those reactions can create resistance that can cripple a new leader. The authors suggest considering tactics on how, depending on the situation, you might want to enter: Assimilate, Converge and Evolve, or Shock. I like the authors’ reference to the Be-Do-Say axiom about culture and how all three must be in sync for culture to work (being the kind of person who does what you say). Finally, in a succeeding chapter, the authors note the absolute importance of communication: Your 1) Platform for change (why it’s important now); 2) Vision (a brighter future for all); 3) Call to action (what the team must do to get to the vision).