I am almost done with my ebook on culture. The working title is A Culture that Works. It’s going to be an app-specific release, using the Snippet App, that my friend Ted Coiné told me about. It’s about 11,000 words, so it’s not too long. Snippet actually requires that each chapter stay under 1,000 words, but you do get to cheat a little by adding some audio or video clips in there (which is nice).
The quote I’ll share is from the chapter titled “Change Is Not Optional.” In it, I make reference to one of my favorite phrases from Gary Hamel: “trauma-free renewal.” I agree with Gary that change need not be as traumatic (and dramatic) as it frequently is in organizations, and I think that is especially true when it comes to culture change. Culture change is depicted as a monumental challenge that only the lucky few can complete (by moving LOTS of cheese). I don’t buy it. From the book:
So let’s figure out how to change our cultures, without all the trauma (and drama). It’s still going to be hard work, of course, but I want us to make culture change the kind of hard work that we all actually like doing. The kind that we make room for in our schedules, because we know it’s important and we know it makes a difference. Let’s liberate culture change work from the eye-rolling, here-we-go-again, not-another-leadership-boondoggle category that it’s been stuck in for years.
Let’s just roll up our sleeves and do it, even if the culture gurus say we can’t.