Culture Change Management Program
Organizations everywhere recognize the importance of culture change. As people are the true differentiators in performance, businesses seek ways to build a more productive culture.
A common response is sending managers to culture change programs, hoping they’ll return with new skills in organizational culture management. However, culture change is complex — and most efforts fail.
Why are these programs ineffective?
What can make them more effective?
How do we sustain productive behavior change?
Values: The Foundation of Culture Change
Most culture change programs focus heavily on processes and structures, often overlooking the most critical element—values.
True cultural transformation happens when the values of individuals and the organization are aligned. This alignment is the foundation of meaningful and lasting culture change.
Values govern behavior. To shift behavior in any workplace, we must begin with the values that drive it. When people—whether they are managers or employees—embrace shared values, real change begins. One of the challenges is that values are intangible.
We can’t see them directly, but we can observe them in the way people behave at work. Behavior is a direct result of the values people hold. That’s why sustainable culture change isn’t driven by systems or structures alone—it’s driven by values.
The Eight Values of Corporate Culture Change
My research identifies eight key values that align the needs of organizations and employees. WINNERS-at-WORK's culture change management program helps integrate these values into daily operations, ensuring they’re measured, implemented, and reflected in behavior across the workplace.
The Shortcomings of Most Culture Change Programs
Many programs fail not because of intent, but because they ignore the true driver of transformation—values. Without addressing this foundation, change efforts remain cosmetic and unsustainable.
System Overload
Tools like new CRMs are introduced without aligning employee behavior or mindset. Without a culture of customer-focus, tools alone won’t work.
Missing the Core
Programs emphasize models and processes but neglect values—the real foundation for long-term behavior change and team alignment.
No Behavior Anchor
When values aren’t embedded, behavior change becomes temporary. Culture shifts only when values shape consistent action.
Employee Disconnect
Too much focus on structure, too little on what employees care about—purpose, meaning, and alignment with personal values.
The Real Solution
Culture change must begin with values—not systems. When people’s thinking changes, behavior follows. And when behavior is rooted in shared values, that’s when transformation becomes real and sustainable. The eight values serve as the framework to align individuals with the organization and ensure lasting impact.