When a corporation hires a proven leader to revive a sagging operation, the hardest part of the job isn’t what’s seen on the balance sheet.   Of course attention is given to improving the numbers in sales, productivity, employee retention and other measurable items.  However very often the biggest challenge comes in transforming the corporate culture.   Unless this happens early in the new leader’s reign, then little else will go right.  Corporations have a culture that was either shaped by the previous leadership or occurred by default.  Either way if the ‘unit’ isn’t performing as desired then the current culture is a significant factor.

A weak or distant leader ignores the corporate culture, which makes it possible for divisions to be created between departments and middle managers.  If you do a values based feedback on these leaders, often words like controlling, manipulative or being liked crop up.

Any new leader has to immediately make an impact on the corporate culture in positive ways or that leader will lack the power to implement significant and lasting change.  Easier said than done with something as intangible but powerful as culture.  You could watch and pay attention, but that’s the long game and maybe you don’t have time.  You could measure it, find out what everyone in the organisation really values and thinks is important – and rarely does your staff satisfaction survey ever reveal this level of information.

Transforming the corporate culture isn’t tossing out all that exists as wrong and imposing a new culture by memo.  A real leader magnifies and applauds the positive factors in the corporate culture and then, by motivation and inspiration as well as example, begins to turn the corporate culture away from negative attitudes. The blend of the best of the old culture and exciting new ideas can revitalize a corporate culture and motivate employees to perform at their very best.  You’ll see the fruits of your labour in the balance sheet, your sales, productivity, innovation and employee retention figures will show a marked difference.