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Changing Cultural Beliefs Starts With You

Culture change is about shifting the Cultural Beliefs that are created through daily experiences and which end up determining daily actions.

 

Experiences shape our beliefs, which drive actions and produce results

Culture change simply requires honest intentions, conscious thought, and focused effort. What sort of effort? Effort focused on modeling a new culture for everyone in the organization. Yes, it is just that simple.

Once you have identified the new experiences and beliefs that define the culture and the results you want, simply start modeling the change.

Here’s how it works; whenever you receive feedback that your behavior is creating an experience for others that is inconsistent with the new culture, apply the below Methodology for Changing Beliefs.

These five steps will immediately get people looking for a sincere desire to model the new culture. Both individuals and teams can use this methodology to stimulate robust dialogue around the new culture and desired results.

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Methodology for Changing Beliefs

  1. Identify the belief you want to change and then say, “That’s not the belief I want you to hold.”

     

  2. Tell them the belief you would like them to hold by saying, “The belief I want you to hold is …”

     

  3. Describe the experience you are going to create for them, and then say, “Here’s what I’m going to do …”

     

  4. Ask them for feedback on the planned experience by saying, “Will that be enough; is there something else I need to do?”

     

  5. Enroll them in giving you feedback on your progress and then say, “Will you give me feedback along the way?”

     

 

Be the change

When leaders honestly execute each of these steps, they launch the same thought process in those who are watching. Soon others get the message that “I ought to be acting and thinking like that too.” The result? Everyone in the organization begins looking for demonstration of the new belief (i.e., new way of thinking and acting), thinking about the new belief behavior, and seeking that behavior both in their fellow workers and, most importantly, in themselves.

 

Culture change occurs when leaders model a new culture.

Let’s talk about how you can transform your culture to grow your impact >

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