In a world that is becoming increasingly complex, one of the ways to sustain change and manage uncertainty is by creating a corporate culture that matches your needs as a an organisation.

Here I am not talking about these big bullet points that you can find in any company pitch or on the walls of your office, but about the pattern of behaviours that is reinforced by people & systems over time.

Culture is a social construction, as much of what we accept as true or important in an organisation comes only from a consensus of others.

It is symbols, then rituals, stories, behaviours, values, norms and beliefs that will set the culture of your organisation.

Therefore, the challenge of change is linking strategy to culture.

Why ? Well, culture can hold us hostage to the past. This is what we call culture inertia.

If you do not manage it, this control system can undermine your ability to effectively execute a strategy.

You now have two ways of looking at this. You either :

• Build from scratch a culture that does promote agility and change

or

• Incorporate in your strategy how you need to change/amend the culture in order to achieve your desired goals

When thinking about change, always remember that people tend to always focus on what they are loosing instead of what they are gaining.

To get adherence, people need to make sense of what is happening and what it would mean for them.

Sensemaking is key in leadership. As a leader, you have to support them in understanding, what it means for them and for the organisation.

Remember, sensemaking is related to trust. You cannot force people to believe, but you can make it easier for them, if they trust you.

When you build a culture, you are building a company mindset !