Change management always means cultural change and it should include some change of personnel. I have a friend who’s experiencing this first-hand and he is frustrated every day. He came from a company that was fast, agile and a leader in its field, and is faced with raising the bar in an organization that has basically stood still for decades. They have a new chief who has announced his intention to move performance to much higher levels, but they’re dealing with a culture and employees that don’t change that easily. What is my friend to do?

After listening to my friend for over a year now, I’m inclined to tell him good luck and get a prescription for a good antidepressant. His problems lay in three main areas:

• Existing culture: this place has been a stagnant pond for many, many years and processes have developed to maintain it just that way. The current beliefs, principles and values sound better than what is actually produced. In fact, they sound really good, but there is no evidence that anyone tries to implement them. It’s a culture of mediocrity perpetuated by the next problem,
• Existing people: the current employees see no reason to change anything. They like it there! They’re rewarded for minimal performance and results, so why would they want to change that? When my friend tries to introduce higher standards, there’s plenty of push-back or just apathy. Who’s not doing the job here? Problem 3,
• The new president: He’s introduced a new set of values and a mission statement with great fanfare and passion, but they’re so involved it takes a half-hour just to read the bizarre chart they’re posted on. You can’t expect people to get behind something that needs a translator! And he won’t get rid of the people in key positions who are obvious obstacles. One man has been in such a job for fifteen years and has done nothing but act as a caretaker. He’s openly resistant to change and yet there he stays.

These are common problems in any organization trying to make changes. They’re challenging but not impossible to overcome. But it requires senior leadership to lead the way, and in my friend’s case that’s not happening. The new president needs to replace a number of people but won’t and they’re holding everything back. My friend has a lot of responsibility but no significant authority and so his frustration will continue. There are few reasons to think anything will improve soon.

Leaders have to make tough decisions when changes are being made. Clear vision and values are required, yes, but so are signs that you mean it! What is lacking here and often elsewhere is accountability and the guts to replace key people with those that will back the new initiatives 100%. Try and win the hearts and minds, sure, but after a year with no progress it’s time to get some new people, the right people, on the bus.