Some say it takes 3 to 8 years to change a culture in an organization. All I know is when I am coaching a business thru that process is it takes courage to stay the course. It starts with the CEO or owner’s vision. What they want in the future.
100% customer satisfaction, or something to that effect, is usually the driving force. It must be clear and passionate. How do you create that? Especially if you haven’t been consistently providing it in the first place? The “vision”, must be articulated over and over and over. The Plan, must be shared with every single associate in the company and I mean everyone, over and over. That means everyone has to be “in”, and actually commit to it. Getting “buy in” is the key.
It takes a Leader TEAM to carry the message. A half a dozen members repeating the same message over and over. In order for that to happen you must get your Leader TEAM to “weigh in”. You must let them have input. After all, they are the one to take the vision to the rest of the associates. When that occurs, change occurs, and not until then.
Changing your culture does not come from a once a year staff meeting, a fancy ad campaign, new logo, brochures, or uniform. Changing a culture in an organization takes clear, and unwavering vision and lots of coaching within the business.
Patience and conviction is at the heart of all change. Change takes courage!