Build on the old, and step into the new

If you want to shift the organization from one way of doing things to a new way of doing things then you will need to see and do things from a variety of perspectives. Any current culture, like any person, will have positive and negative features. You will need to retain and build on the current strengths and ensure that you do not throw the baby out with the bathwater. You will also need to start right now in modelling aspects of the new culture – if you want a coaching culture then start coaching; if you want people to be empowered then start empowering! Now is also the opportunity to step outside of the bubble that you’re in. No one ever changed a culture by simply drawing up plans and listing required behaviours, so now is the time to be creative, do things in different ways and learn from people outside of the system.