Transforming Organizational Culture

Jonathan H. Westover, PhD
Jun 20
6 min read

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Abstract: This article explores the strategic approach to organizational cultural transformation, presenting a comprehensive framework that combines theoretical foundations with practical implementation. Beginning with a thorough assessment of existing cultural dynamics through multiple data collection methods, leaders can establish a baseline before envisioning their desired cultural state. The process emphasizes the critical importance of gaining stakeholder buy-in through transparent communication and inclusive practices, followed by systematic embedding of new values through aligned HR systems, physical environments, communication channels, learning opportunities, rituals, and performance metrics. Using IBM's successful transformation as a case study, the article demonstrates how these principles can revitalize even established organizations when applied consistently over time. The article conclude that while cultural transformation requires patience and persistent leadership, a carefully executed approach that balances strategic vision with responsive adaptation can ultimately create sustainable organizational cultures that serve both business objectives and human needs.

Cultural transformation is no easy task, but with patience and perseverance, it is possible to evolve an organization's culture into one that better supports its people and purpose. As an organizational leader, understanding culture and having a clear strategy for positively impacting it will go a long way in guiding successful change.

Today we will provide practical guidance for transforming culture drawn from academic research and real-world examples.

Defining and Assessing Current Culture

The first step in transforming culture is to understand what the current culture actually is. Organizational culture refers to the shared values, assumptions, and beliefs that shape how people think and act within an organization (Schein, 2017). To get a holistic view of the existing culture, leaders should gather both qualitative and quantitative data from multiple perspectives, including:

Conducting employee surveys to assess satisfaction, engagement, values alignment, and other cultural indicators
Interviewing staff at all levels to understand shared meanings and norms
Observing meetings, social spaces, documentation styles to observe behaviors and rituals
Reviewing employee turnover, absenteeism, and performance metrics for cultural insights
Evaluating brand messaging, values statements, and public communications for espoused cultural elements

With this multi-faceted assessment, leaders can identify cultural strengths to build upon as well as weaknesses to address. For example, analyzing turnover data may reveal issues with work-life balance while surveying frontline staff could highlight a disconnect between espoused and enacted values around customer service. By truly understanding the current reality, leaders have a solid baseline for envisioning the desired future state.

Envisioning the Desired Culture

With a handle on the existing culture, leaders must next determine what kind of culture will best support organizational goals and priorities moving forward. Some guiding questions for this envisioning phase include:

What core values should serve as the foundation for all we do? Examples like integrity, accountability, innovation.
What behaviors and mindsets do we want to see flourish? Things like collaboration, continuous learning, customer-centricity.
How do we want people to experience working here? Possibilities include feeling empowered, supported, and able to bring their whole selves to work.
What principles or styles should guide our operations? Considerations involve agility, diversity and inclusion, work-life effectiveness.

Getting input from multiple stakeholders through discussions, IdeaStorms or focus groups can lead to a compelling future state vision rooted in organizational realities yet aspirational. With this North Star defined, the work of transitioning culture can commence.

Gaining Buy-in for Change

No cultural evolution will succeed without support from those within the culture itself. Leaders must take time to build understanding and enthusiasm for the envisioned changes. Some approaches that foster buy-in include:

Communicating the why clearly. Help people see how the new culture ties into strategic objectives and benefits everyone involved.
Engaging employees in the process. Seek ideas, questions and feedback to cultivate ownership over shifts.
Addressing concerns respectfully. Provide a safe space to discuss resistance thoughtfully so it can be navigated rather than dismissed.
Educating on cultural change. Provide context that successful culture changes take years with ongoing reinforcement of new norms.
Leading by example. Walk the talk daily by modeling behaviors reflecting the desired cultural qualities.

With buy-in nurtured through transparent and inclusive change management, real cultural shifts have a foundation from which to grow roots within the organization.

Embedding New Ways of Working

The bulk of cultural transformation revolves around embedding new behaviors, processes, and ways of thinking to align with the envisioned state. Here are some evidence-based tactics for doing so:

Revise HR Systems and Policies: Cultural change starts with aligning HR functions like recruitment, performance reviews, and leadership development with cultural priorities. For example, when hiring and promoting, emphasize cultural fit over just technical skills.
Rethink Physical Spaces: Research shows the office environment affects behaviors; redesiging space to encourage collaboration, creativity, well-being reinforces cultural goals.
Revamp Communication Channels: Use all formal/informal channels, from meetings to watercooler talk, to weave cultural messaging into daily interactions. Stories, courageous conversations and celebrations also shape mindsets.
Provide Learning and Development: Cultural training gives staff frameworks to analyze situations through a cultural lens. Additionally, skills-building in areas like communication, problem-solving embeds new competencies.
Incorporate Rituals and Traditions: Shared experiences like community service days or team-building activities socialize cultural expectations while strengthening relationships.
Align Metrics and Incentives: What gets measured gets results; tie performance reviews, bonuses and promotions to cultural behaviors to motivate lasting change.
Champion and Reinforce Progress: Cultural momentum requires persistence; consistently recognize adoption of new values through casual and formal feedback loops. Address lapses respectfully to keep improving.

With patience and ongoing efforts across these channels over months and years, behavioral change eventually transforms mindsets and ultimately the shared culture itself.

Culture Transformation in Action

To bring the theoretical into focus, consider an example cultural shift at a major technology company, IBM. Facing business challenges, IBM sought to evolve its bureaucratic, siloed culture into an innovative, collaborative one aligned to the digital age (IBM, 2019). Some of their "embedding" tactics included:

Revising performance reviews to assess "new collar" IT skills and agile ways of working alongside technical abilities.
Renovating offices into open floor plans with stand-up desks, huddle rooms and cafes to spark interaction.
Launching a company-wide "IBM Design Thinking" curriculum taught in classrooms and virtual bootcamps.
Hosting ideathon competitions and hackathons to engage all in solving customers' biggest problems creatively.
Recognizing "Blue Champions" each month who exemplified the culture's new qualities through their work.

Over five years, IBM saw cultural satisfaction scores rise 30% while reducing costs through efficiencies like an increased remote workforce. Though an ongoing journey, it shows real transformation is achievable through holistic, sustained effort.

Maintaining Momentum

Successfully evolving culture is a marathon, not a sprint. Leaders must thoughtfully navigate both obstacles and opportunities that arise throughout the ongoing journey:

Manage resistance respectfully yet confidently with patience and involvement of dissenting voices.
Course-correct misunderstandings by revisiting why cultural changes serve strategic objectives for business success and people success.
Leverage allies by empowering and visible cultural ambassadors at all levels to champion progress.
Continuously challenge and push through plateaus by refreshing tools, communicating wins and maintaining accountability.
Embed handoffs to pass the cultural flame to new leaders through orientations, promotions criteria and leadership development.
Celebrate achievements routinely as milestones to keep motivation high during long transition periods.
Adjust approach iteratively by reviewing feedback and results to optimize efforts that are - and are not - driving behavioral change.

With dedicated leadership steering a steady yet flexible long-game approach, organizations can graduate from managing to truly leading through culture as a competitive advantage.

Conclusion

Transforming culture is no small feat, but doing so strategically allows an organization to thrive through changing times. By understanding both current realities and the vision for tomorrow, engaging people authentically in the journey, and enacting proactive steps throughout systems and interactions, culture evolves in sustainable ways. Leaders play the pivotal role of championing both why cultural transition matters and how to get there through a willingness to learn and adapt along the way. Though challenges will emerge, staying patient yet purposeful sustains momentum toward achieving a future state where both business and human goals find their highest potential through a collaboratively adopted culture. With insight, intention and persistence, thriving organizational culture becomes the norm.

References

Schein, E. H. (2017). Organizational culture and leadership (5th ed.). Jossey-Bass.
IBM. (2019, April 9). How IBM transformed its culture. 9-201.

Jonathan H. Westover, PhD is Chief Academic & Learning Officer (HCI Academy); Chair/Professor, Organizational Leadership (UVU); OD Consultant (Human Capital Innovations). Read Jonathan Westover's executive profile here.

Suggested Citation: Westover, J. H. (2026). Transforming Organizational Culture. Human Capital Leadership Review, 22(2). doi.org/10.70175/hclreview.2020.22.2.7