Think Big, Act Small
Culture change is a hot topic. Everyone is talking about it, doing something about it, learning about it — so what works? Most of the literature I have read on the subject agrees on the notion that culture change comes from actions taken not words spoken. To impact a culture the leaders and employees, as a collective, need to align, empower, and adapt.
So, what should the collective do to change the culture of a company? Find a new space? Offer free beer on tap? Define values that everyone should live by? I won’t pretend to know the answer for everyone, but I can talk about three powerful aspects of culture that are central to one of my favorite programs at IBM iX, the iX Ambassador Program.
Building Sustainable Relationships
I am lucky to be a part of a program with a group of action-oriented, high energy ambassadors that strive to make an impact in their local studios. Studies show that the new generation of workers crave a sense of purpose*, and our purpose as ambassadors is to inspire colleagues and leaders to challenge the status quo. We are developing a family of ambassadors around this purpose with the goal of sharing, learning, and growing from each other during the transformation at IBM. These are the people I lean on when I need to see the opportunities in mistakes, laugh at something others may not find funny, and bond over our relationships with our jobs. The chance to connect with other ambassadors from around the world is one I will never take for granted. Whether it’s receiving Neil’s weekly reflection email, watching Michael redesign the Hong Kong studio to inspire creativity, or listening to Harriet talk about the amazing impact of #iXFest on the team in the UK, I continue to be inspired by how they are taking action, motivating others, and pushing me!
Empowering Action, Not Mandating It
This is not a program of “to-dos” but a program of “empowerment and enablement.” We made it a point not to instill hierarchy or levels; instead, we lean on each other to deliver on our promises and to keep each other accountable. So how does it work? We instill trust, encourage feedback and open communication, and share as much insight as we have on the global business. Transactional relationships don’t work in this model, they are one-way and ineffective. Look at the consumer world now; companies want to create personalized, impactful relationships that extend beyond the point of sale — employee engagement is the same. Our goal is to find the best way to empower individuals to take small actions that can lead to big impact for the organization overall. Remember, this isn’t something that happens overnight; it is a part of the standards you set and live by continuously.
Admitting We Don’t Know Is Okay, And Expected
We all know no one has all the answers, so why is everyone so scared to say, “I don’t know?” In this program, “I don’t know” is something we say all the time. In fact when we first launched we didn’t pretend to have all the answers, rather, we highlighted it by starting off the welcome session with “you down to build this program together?” Based on feedback from ambassadors, the program has changed direction several times (!!) since inception. A working environment where people feel safe to admit they don’t know and to ask questions — that’s a culture I want to be a part of.
Together, we are taking small actions to evolve the culture of iX. Some people get scared by the word “small” (especially in an international company with over 300,000 employees and 100+ years of experience), but small is important. Small actions within our local studios impact people on the ground, the same people that are in the meetings with our clients day in and day out. Bring to life the values of the global brand / organization through human connection and experience, and you’ll likely inspire the people on the ground to take bold actions themselves.
I’ll leave you with one of my favorites from Seth Godin –
“Nothing matters more than results. Except for: community, contribution and what our friends think, trust, the perception of quality, how much we like doing business with you, side effects, and self-esteem. Also… doing work that matters, with people we care about. It seems like almost everything important matters more than results.”
P.S. we also sign off every meeting with a dance move… so rockin’ out as I type…
