How do you lead cultural change?

From the Past President

By Cammie Scott, MSIE, ChHC, CLTC, LUTCF, REBC, RHU, SHRM-SCP, SPHR

It’s not easy. A culture — whether it’s the culture of a business or an association — is by definition wellestablished and often ingrained. But we all know that sometimes things just aren’t working, and often the missteps or barriers to success are due to an organization’s culture. Changing that culture requires a strong plan, great communication and skillful persuasion. Striving to change a culture doesn’t mean the ways things were done in the past were bad or the people who oversaw that culture did anything wrong. Times change. Organizations need to adapt. The key for a leader is to deliver the message clearly and build unity. We are all in this together, not to disparage the past but to build a fantastic future.

From the President

By Thomas O. Michel, LACP

Once you recognize the need for change — and we did — and have a great plan — we do — then you need to get buy-in and get critical mass on board. From there, we put our heads down and get to work! I like to call this “Relentless Execution.” We trust NAIFA’s strategic plan. It has flexibility to deal with unexpected curveballs — like, say, a pandemic — but it’s our guide and we don’t stray far from it. Your plan is the roadmap, and your team does the heavy lifting. Fortunately, our NAIFA Nation team is amazing. From our volunteer leaders nationwide to our rank-and-file members and from my fellow trustees to our professional staff, we work in concert to make NAIFA a stronger, more impactful association.

From the President-Elect

By Lawrence Holzberg, LUTCF, LACP

Cultural change requires accountability. You can’t ask people to move out of their comfort zones and change the way they are used to doing things without, first, giving them good reasons for doing so, and second, showing them measurable results. Successful cultural change will always focus on working toward stated goals and achieving results. As leaders, we must demand accountability from ourselves and everyone we lead. Accountability keeps us on track and moving toward a common vision of success. It also reassures those who may be reluctant to change or who are uncomfortable leaving a culture they are used to. Ultimately, accountability is the driving force that ensures we get things done and reinforces our new culture.

CEO CORNER