What We're Reading

Alan L. Wilkins, Developing Corporate Character: How to Successfully Change an Organization without Destroying It.

A refreshing perspective on the more human side of organizational culture that argues that too many executives and managers have tried to change their organizations’ culture and succeeded only in destroying its character. Wilkins uses the notion of organizational “character” rather than “culture” because he believes that cultural theorists and practitioners alike have trivialized the notion of culture by using it to describe almost everything organizational – so culture has lost much of its special meaning. In addition, Wilkins believes that many leaders have given culture a bad name by initiating cultural change programs and simultaneously announcing significant layoffs. “The employees who are left have no faith in either the new vision or the company’s ability to implement it,” Wilkins states. Wilkins’ focus on organizational character is consistent with the view that an organization’s culture is like its unique personality. He argues that statements about managing or fundamentally changing culture make no sense because like a person’s character, organizational character must be developed - it can’t be managed or fundamentally changed. The key is to harness the positive power of culture, rather than dismantling it and starting over.

Wilkins outlines three powerful ways to avoid these pitfalls and to approach cultural change more effectively. First, echoing the views of David Cooperrider’s model of Appreciative Inquiry, Wilkins suggests that executives and managers focus more time and energy on honoring the positive aspects of an organization’s past and what works in the culture, rather than on empty promises about fundamental cultural change. A second critical factor is for executives and managers to establish a culture of trust where the organization sends a consistent message about its purpose, values, and goals and the interactions between employees and managers are characterized by integrity and fair process. Finally, Wlikins challenges the myth that cultural change must start at the very top of an organization. Citing examples from companies like Hewlett-Packard, he describes how middle managers can build a sub-culture of creativity, innovation and excellence that “nests” its own vision within the objectives and goals of the overall organization. In fact, Wilkins argues that it is probably easier to influence most companies from a middle management position than from the very top of the organization. This book provides valuable lessons on how executives and managers can implement cultural change programs that build upon an organization’s strengths and create competitive advantage.