Culture is a little like dropping an Alka-Seltzer into a glass-you don’t see it, but somehow it does something - Hans Magnus Enzensberger
When a company wants to make lasting change, for whatever reason, it’s usually not enough to change just the physical organization. Shuffling hierarchy, bringing in new people for existing roles, and creating new roles with new responsibilities will not, in and of itself, produce the enduring improvements being sought. It’s too superficial. Issues that prompt a company to seek change are often thought to result from problems with the physical organization, but they’re more likely to be symptomatic of problems in the company’s culture.
Changing culture isn’t easy nor quick. It’s painful. It requires diligence, perseverance, passion and dogged determination. It requires changing behaviors. Are the improvements worth the effort and pain to bring about change? The hardest thing though is recognizing the need to change the culture. And this comes down to awareness. You probably won’t see much of this in large organizations.
