1. Changing Your Culture- One Step at a Time Chris Nunes, CPRE Director of Parks and Recreation The Woodlands Township The Woodlands, TX 2013 Massachusetts Parks and Recreation Association Hyannis, MA

2. Culture Defined Why are you at this session? What is your organizations “culture”? Are there changes in your life/organization?

3. Session Objectives Define culture from an individual and organization perspective Identify and understand the process to implement cultural change Develop a change program

4. Culture Defined Refers to system of shared meaning held by members that distinguishes from other organizations.

5. Culture Defined Defines the boundaries. Conveys a sense of identity. Facilitates commitment to something larger than self. Social glue that holds the organization together. Control mechanism for employees.

6. Culture Defined Seven elements of Culture Outcome/Result orientation People orientation Team orientation Aggressiveness: Competitive vs easy going.

7. Culture Defined Seven elements of Culture Innovation & risk taking Stability: focus on the status quo rather than change. Attention to detail

8. Culture Defined Are there other elements that impact your organizations culture??

9. The actions of top management establishes the norms: Whether risk taking is desirable Freedom of managers What actions will pay off in terms of pay raises, promotions and other rewards, etc. How else does “top management” impact the culture of the organization? Culture and Top Management

10. Culture In Action Artifacts What’s on the bulletin boards How offices are set up How meetings are conducted How people greet each other “Official” values Corporate vision statement Written policies Code of ethics Assumptions Official Values Artifacts

11. Culture in Action Assumptions Seldom discussed assumptions behind the actions “That’s the way we do things around here.” Assumptions Official Values Artifacts

12. Culture as an Issue Can culture be a barrier in the organization? Barrier to change: Occurs when environment is dynamic & and strong culture worked well in past (yes/no). Barrier to diversity: Pressure on employees to conform. Diversity likely to diminish in strong cultures- people want to fit in

13. 2005 Russell Consulting, Inc www.russellconsultinginc.com Physical (processes, tools, structures Ability to Influence or Chance Easiest Most Difficult Short Term Long Term

14. Culture and Change Physical and processes are easy to change………. What’s not is the behavioral and cultural aspects

15. Sources of Culture People/ MGMT Work Structure Values Culture

16. Culture and Change How do you react to Change within your organization?

17. Culture and Change 1. I tend to view change as threatening 2. I generally take risks despite potentially negative consequences 3. I often feel victimized by change 4. I assume that change will bring a new set of opportunities and choices that will produce even more demanding challenges 5. I tend to view change and its discomforts as a necessary part of the adjustment process 6. I think change should progress in a logical and orderly fashion. 7. I tend to have a low tolerance for ambiguity 8. I tend to compartmentalize stress caused by change so that it will not cause disruptions in another are of my life 9. I often see change as unnatural, unnecessary and unpleasant 10. I know the limitations of my personal and organizational resources 11. I rarely see the need for change 12. I rarely waste time, money, and energy pursuing change initiatives that cannot be successfully supported.

18. Culture and Change 13. I generally respond in a reactive rather than a proactive manner to change 14. I tend to be creative about how to maximize the use of my resources 15. I feel uncomfortable managing uncertainty 16. I constantly challenge my own assumptions and frames of reference 17. I often interpret unexpected changes as a result of personal or organization agendas 18. I usually recognize when I need to ask for help 19. I tend to blame or attach others for the problems caused by change 20. I tend to focus on influencing others and resolving conflict 21. I often see the world as being unpredictable, confusing, and contradictory 22. I tend to accept change as a natural part of life 23. I see major change as uncomfortable and a problem to avoid 24. I rarely assume that my world will remain unchanged 25. I find it difficult to break from established ways of doing things

19. Culture and Change 26. I see change as a challenge with a problem to solve and opportunities 27. I find it difficult to effectively manage multiple tasks and demands 28. I tend to have a high tolerance for ambiguity 29. I rarely ask others for help when it is needed 30. I often feel empowered during change 31. I do not take risks when consequences are difficult to determine 32. I usually display patience, understanding and humor when dealing with change 33. I have a hard time changing priorities during change 34. I generally need a short time to recovery for adversity or disappointment 35. I feel I am unable to influence others or resolve conflicts effectively 36. I recognize my own strengths and weaknesses and know when to accept internal or external limits 37. I tend to refrain from developing or maintain nurturing relationships that can be used for support during change 38. I set and renegotiate priorities during change 39. I often lack the patience, understanding and humor in the face of change 40. I usually compartmentalize stress in one area so that it does not carry over into other areas of my life

20. Culture and Change Review your questionnaire and note on the line below the number of times you answered YES to any ODD-NUMBERED question (i.e., questions 1, 3, 5,7....) ___________Total Number of Yes (Odd Numbered Questions) 20-1515-1010-5 Change Adverse 5-0 Pro Change

21. Change “This is a waste of time.” “Why change if it was working just fine before?” “If it ain't broke, don't fix it.” “They never tell us what’s going on!” “How soon will this happen?” “How will this impact me?” “Will I receive new training?” “What’s in it for me.” “I doubt they are really serious about this.” Natural reaction to change: Resist Awareness of need to change: critical ingredient and must come first

22. Cultural Change Why is change difficult? The rate of change is not going to slow down anytime soon. If anything, competition in most industries will probably speed up even more in the next few decades. John P. Kotter Leading Change

23. Cultural Change Turf Wars/Power What is the value of change? Status quo provides a certain level of stability/predictability Loss of job security Poor communication I ngrained habits Organization lacks adequate rewards Viewed as more work with fewer resources Lack of culture that puts a premium constant process improvement It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory. W. Edwards Deming

24. Change Management Benefits of Change  Reduced cost  Cooperative partnerships  Creation of a higher level of service  Delivering services more efficiently  Meeting the needs of user groups Change or die/become useless???

25. Change (Opportunity) Management When can change be easily managed Threat of organizational failure Raises the perceived value of change, regardless of effects Permits “zero-based” look at long-standing practices Easier to take holistic view People have more incentive to be objective and keep the organization going, rather than protecting their own interest In order to change we must be sick and tired of being sick and tired.

26. Change Management Remember change… Is a process, not an event Is made by individuals, then organizations Is a highly personal experience Involves gradual growth CHANGE Ind.Org. Process

27. The Eight-Stage Model of Planned Organizational Change Process Increase Urgency Build the Guiding Team Get The Vision Right Communicate for Buy-In Empower Action Create Short Term Wins Don’t Let Up Make Change Stick

28. Stage 1: Increase Urgency Raise a feeling of urgency so folks say- “let’s go”! What Works: Show others the need for change Use valid information and data Never underestimate complacency, fear and anger

29. Stage 2: Build the Guiding Team Form a group that has the capability to guide the change process What Works: Showing enthusiasm and commitment Modeling trust and teamwork

30. Stage 3: Get The Vision Right Create the right vision and strategies to guide action What Works: See -literally- possible futures Vision so clear- it can be articulated in one minute or written on 1 page

31. Stage 4: Communicate for Buy-In What Works: Simple communication not technical Know what your folks are “feeling” Speak to anxieties, fear, confusion, anger

32. Stories – Depicting the past events of the organization. Rituals – Repetitive activities reinforcing the values of the organization. Material Symbols – Conveying social equality, desired organizational behavior, etc. by the top management. Language – Acceptance and preservation of culture. How Employees Learn Culture

33. Remember this… Tell Me I will forget Show Me I might remember Involve Me I will never forget

34. Stage 5: Empower Action Deal effectively with obstacles blocking action. What Works: Find folks with change experience who can state “we won and you can too” Infuse creative tension in the workplace "Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.“ John F. Kennedy

35. Stage 5: Empower Action Creative Tension Created when we experience a gap between reality and the desired state Is this always a negative?

36. Stage 5: Empower Action If you want creativity………….. create a TENSE environment Trusting Energized Nimble Self Confident Expecting Change

37. Stage 5: Empower Action Creativity Test! Groups of 5-8 Three minutes

38. Stage 6: Create Short-Term Wins Produce short-term wins to energize the change helpers, enlighten pessimists, defuse cynics What Works: Early wins that come fast Wins that are visible to as many people as possible Wins that speak to powerful players whose support you need but do not yet have

39. Stage 7: Don’t Let Up Continue with wave after wave of change, not stopping until the vision is a reality What Works: Looking for ways to keep the urgency up As always- show ‘em, show ‘em, show ‘em

40. Stage 8: Make Change Stick Be sure the changes are embedded so they the new way of operating What Works: Staff meetings Organizational Goals Who does the evaluation and how? Internal and external stakeholders Public Notice

41. Stage 8: Make Change Stick Effective management of the people dimension of change requires managing five key phases Awareness of the need for change Desire to make the change happen Knowledge about how to change Ability to implement new skills and behaviors Reinforcement to retain the change once it has been made

42. Change- Simplified =CHANGE =CONFUSION =ANXIETY = GRADUAL CHANGE = FRUSTRA- TION = FALSE STARTS ++ ++ +++ + +++ + + + + + + + + + + + + VISIONSKILLSRESOURCESINCENTIVES ACTION PLAN SKILLSINCENTIVES ACTION PLAN RESOURCES INCENTIVESRESOURCESVISION SKILLS INCENTIVES RESOURCES ACTION PLAN ACTION PLAN ACTION PLAN

43. Reminders…….. Too often leaders launch their initiatives by calling a meeting then expect people to “buy-in” Most leaders under-communicate their change vision by a factor of 10 Inconsistent behavior by a manager fuel the cynicism and frustration Build a guiding coalition that represents all levels of the organization Celebrate incremental improvements

44. Summary To be effective as a change agent, consider and understand: The system or context Yourself What it takes to motivate and involve others Empower employees

45. Thank you!!!! Chris Nunes, Ph.D., CPRE Director of Parks and Recreation The Woodlands Township The Woodlands, Tx 281.210.3906 cnunes@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov