On February 6, we held our first CEO briefing, Creating a Culture of Change, presented by Michael Prushan and Bill Stieber. We chose this topic since many Members today are seeking new opportunities, or staving off threats, due to economic, global or regulatory uncertainty or changes. The speakers began by emphasizing that when done right, a Change Culture can keep a company nimble and adept at responding to changing conditions. When not done well, it can result in waste, frustration and confusion and, often, a step backwards. They emphasized that above all successful change is the result of Attitude and Execution.
They identified as a common success factor the selection of a Change Leader who:
• Energizes groups and communicates the need for change
• Demonstrates a high tolerance for ambiguity and positive attitude
• Is able to move the group to a Mission of Goals
• Effectively deals with obstacles and roadblocks
• Involves people and their unique motivations at all times
They reiterated several times that leadership must set clear objectives around change, develop strong measures and results and communicate successes and setbacks. Many people perceive change as risky and, as a result, companies must provide skill development to help employees deal with new roles and duties. They must also foster a sense of safety for taking risks associated with change as the path is not a straight line and successful change is often accelerated by taking risks and learning quickly from setbacks.
We were very pleased with the first CEO briefing and it received high marks from the CEO’s in attendance. During lunch, most agreed that while this was familiar subject matter, they better understood the need to create a long-term view and to why and how to support a change mandate from the top.
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