Promantek Corporate Blog

For the last three decades we have worked organizations whose goal it was to change their culture.

While this is a noble thought, making it happen is a serious undertaking with a lot of heavy lifting. There are some major obstacles an organization must overcome.

1. Since the culture of an organization usually flows from the top-down, change must occur in the same manner. The CEO, Owner or President cannot delegate responsibility of driving change.
2. If change is to take place it puts significant pressure on the key players to change their style. It's probably not going to happen.
3. Most organizations want to change to begin immediately after the program's and/or processes have been introduced. Unfortunately, the changes will not be substantial for at least 18 months, probably longer.
4. Because a consultant or other outside agent usually facilitate these programs or processes their presence is essential. Once the consultant has left the building the innate behaviors began to seep back into the organization and soon it's back to business as usual.
5. There is no accountability. The behaviors that are necessary to effect change should become part of each individual's performance plan and/or performance appraisal.

It would be hard for me as a manager or employee to find value in a performance appraisal document that was the same for everybody, was void of well-defined, position specific criteria and was one-sided, as are most performance appraisals.

Certain styles are open to and encourage change while others are extremely resistant to change. It is important for organizations to assess who's who before moving forward with any program. But our approach has been to show people how to change the way they do things, not who they are. Performance plans and performance appraisals can be dynamic, effective managing tools that enhance change.

Too often performance appraisal is a task that is misunderstood, undervalued and usually misused. We have actually had executives ask us to help them craft a performance appraisal product so they could terminate an individual.

The bottom line: Change in culture requires, leadership from the top, commitment patience, processes that help people change the way they do things and an environment of accountability.