I’ve been asked to run another session on the importance of boards focusing on the culture of the organisations where they are directors. So as I sat down with my blank screen, I decided to concentrate my mind on the subject in poetic form, boiling it down to its essence. Here’s what emerged.
Too often as I sit on boards I hear my colleagues silent on this topic of culture. They’re so concerned with compliance, oversight and risk, as stern parents expecting to slap the wrists of their irresponsible children.
Their time horizons are limited to the last and next quarters – OK, at a stretch to a whole year – and they focus on hammering weaknesses and threats, with not enough attention paid to opportunities and aspirations, passions and strengths.
They sub-optimise to the short-term, not bothering about longer-term sustainability, while proudly imagining they are champions of good governance.
People tell us that “culture eats strategy for breakfast”, But no – it’s not either/or, not a zero-sum game. There must be a culture strategy within an overall one, where they integrate together and synergise.
But what is culture, anyway? It’s “the way we do things round here”. It’s the way we behave, as a reflection of our attitudes and beneath that of our values. And how we behave either makes us more or less happy, engaged… and productive.
So how do we influence behaviour patterns, ones that have long been the norm? How do we celebrate uplifting behaviour and keep it going?
Much more challenging, how do we get rid of dysfunctional behaviour, knowing that comfort zones will be exceeded?
We must expand those comfort zones, fill them with excitement rather than anxiety about that new future, allowing it to shine.
We must nurture both competence and confidence, having them in balance within themselves and with each other.
Are we humble enough, but not excessively so? Do we align our confidence with our humility, knowing we are not a know-it-all, asking much more than telling?
So let’s get going with change management, shall we, aware that most such initiatives fail dismally? Why do they? So many reasons! Lots are top-down, led by those shielded from reality through their iceberg of ignorance.
They rush in without getting to root causes, without hearing from the ground. They don’t focus enough on what the purpose is, then all-too-quickly fade out, as everyone gets too busy once again.
So be prepared to invest good time. Go both top-down and bottom-up, relentlessly keeping to the “why?”, to the “so what?”, the consequences.
Make sure there are quick-wins to encourage you, while accepting that other battles will take longer. Celebrate the champions, nudge the resisters to catch up, and above all be role models yourselves.
Keep reviewing, keep reviewing at all levels – horizontally and vertically – with standing agenda items at meetings. Share good stories, adapt the change as needed, see how others do such work.
Make the new culture the new enjoyable norm, that attracts good stakeholders to you and holds them on to you, so that they in turn attract other good ones around them.
Do you ever write poetry? If not, try it, and if it exceeds your comfort zone, relax and expand it.
I find it concentrates my mind and makes me smile – not least if I have used it to vent about something or someone awful that has happened, or to celebrate some good news. Have a go!
Before closing let me mention that this is my 275th column in this paper, and also that I understand I’m the longest running writer here. It’s the first article I’ve written as a poem, and very likely the last!
The writer is the chairman of management consultancy The DEPOT, co-founder of the Institute for Responsible Leadership, and member of Kepsa Advisory Council. [email protected] www.mike-eldon.com
