Citation
Bajer, J. (2018), "Editorial", Strategic HR Review, Vol. 17 No. 6, pp. 269-269. https://doi.org/10.1108/SHR-11-2018-149
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited
The Changing Behaviours’ Fallacy
If you’ve been around the block, you probably noticed that something is missing.
Most organisations are good at talking about behaviours, but the best interventions struggle to convert good intentions into measurable results. Conferences where people “talk” about the change they want to see are slow to become everyday reality.
Most organisations try hard to change their culture. Ask their top teams and they would say:
Our Culture needs to change for our Strategy to work.
Here’s a list of behaviours (values, principles, behaviours, pillars, codes of conduct, standards, morals, etc.), so go do something about it.
Surveys are rolled out for people to feel involved. Findings are discussed to empower them. Perks rolled out to increase engagement. Metrics drive performance management conversations because everyone knows that “we get what we measure”.
The entire organisation is now talking about the new behaviours, but everyday interactions seem to be stuck in the past. When asked about results, people often describe the size of the interventions, showing group selfies taken during team huddles at fun corporate events.
I’m sorry to be so blunt, but behaviours can change only when we change beliefs. This does not work the other way around. People get passionate and committed when there is a clear sense of purpose which drives an appetite to work as part of a team who is creating real and tangible value for some part of society.
Unfortunately, if you can’t get this right, you are on for a long parade of futile culture change initiatives, always fine-tuning the promises for a better future […] but never actually getting there. We do have a choice, of course. We get what we believe in.
Warmly,
Dr Javier Bajer
Editor-in-Chief
Strategic HR Review
Javier@javierbajer.com