Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM JANUARY 2019 26 Y ou'd be surprised how often I'm asked that question. Short answer: "Yes, you can, if you commit." There are lots of reasons cultures remain the same. Some have evolved over many years. Some have survived major market changes and leadership fluctuations. Some have endured trauma and crisis. Some just get tired of pushing for change–they don't want to be bothered: "This is how things have always been." But the truth is that we can shift a culture. We can change the ways we work together, and the way our customers and clients see us. We can even change how we feel about our work. But, of course, it takes commitment, and not just at the top but from everyone. It also takes a particular kind of commitment from the leader who decides it's time to make a change. Consider the following points that contribute to an organization's ability to C.O.M.M.I.T. to change. Do they open visions of a growth edge for yourself? C: Changing a culture takes COURAGE. Some have defined courage as "taking action in the face of risk." And that's true for changing work cultures as well. You cannot know whether the change will happen, and you can't foresee the ultimate risks, or whether you'll lose people, business, or relationships along the way. So there is risk. But, mostly, the courage for the leader lies in staying the course and believing in the changes yet unseen. It also takes courage to be patient when it often feels like you're turning a very big ship. Just remember that even a tiny course adjustment can completely change your direction, and that sometimes it will be enough. Only time will tell, when you're navigating the big wide ocean of change. O: As a leader, you'll need to remain OPEN to what will emerge in the process of changing the culture. Once you announce that you want to change some aspects of the culture, your openness to change your personal style of communication and your willingness to share ideas with transparency will be on display. Some employees will be excited about the changes, and some are bound to resist or be skeptical. But no matter what their reaction, they'll be watching you. And if you're willing to be open and listen deeply, you may be able to create a more effective and even profound change than you imagined. M: Your MESSAGE matters. I like to think of change as an unexplored horizon, a vast frontier, or an ocean stretching out before us. We can't know what's out there–we're moving into unknown territory, and you'll need to help relieve the confusion, fear and conflict that may arise as you begin the change process. It will help your people stay focused and faithful to the spirit of change if you let them know that by working together they'll be able to navigate the unknown. So be thoughtful with your messaging–even small phrases that show your compassion can be very helpful: "Of course we are concerned," or "It makes sense that we need to step back and talk about this," or "None of us have actually ever been here before.". M: Create the right systems and processes to MANAGE the change. People think that change initiatives will just mean more added work. Announcing an extra meeting or a new activity can be taken as burdensome if we haven't prepared the soil by helping people understand that the change will be manageable. Make sure to identify the milestones, so that you can mark your progress and celebrate how things are moving forward. I: Culture change is an INTERNAL personal process for everyone, not just the leader. Whether you're shifting your customer service practices, creating a more relationship-based way of interacting with your customers, infusing recognition and appreciation into your weekly huddle meetings, or choosing purpose and profit as complementary goals–everyone will have to do a certain amount of internal work to adjust to the "new normal." We might need to do some self-assessment and reflection to see how we're helping or hindering the change process. We may feel anxious about the unknown. We'll need to practice radical self-care: taking care of how we feel and how we communicate our needs so that we can all contribute together. T: Culture change takes TIME–but it doesn't have to take forever. It's important to balance a sense of urgency with a clear sense of patience. It will also be important to talk about how much time it will take to implement certain elements of the culture change that can't be rushed, even though we can speed-up others. Make it your touchstone to consider what feels reasonable and respectful in terms of a particular change. By practicing thoughtful transparency, we can sail gracefully over that far horizon to a world of success! CAN YOU REALLY CHANGE A WORKPLACE CULTURE? Libby Wagner Culture Coach RO Libby Wagner, author of The Influencing Option: The Art of Building a Profit Culture in Business, works with clients to help them create and sustain profit cultures. www.libbywagner.com

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