Management Tip of the Day: Change Small Things, Not Your Entire Culture

Are you having trouble viewing this email? If so, click here to see it in a web browser. HOME   |   TIPS   |   BLOGS   |   THE MAGAZINE   |   BOOKS   |   STORE RSS   |   Mobile MARCH 11, 2013 Change Small Things, Not Your Entire Culture When people don't achieve company goals, senior managers often declare that it's time to change the culture. But sweeping, large-scale culture change efforts rarely cure what ails a company. Managers get better results when they start with a few smaller successes. Start with one problem, for example a performance challenge. Get some people to run a couple of modest experiments that might solve the issue. Pay careful attention to what works and how. Incorporate the successful ideas into subsequent steps. Keep advancing an increasing number of performance improvements based on those early wins — and continue to learn from each subsequent experiment. Eventually you'll have changed the culture by taking it one problem at a time. Today's Management Tip was adapted from "To Change the Culture, Stop Trying to "Change the Culture"" by Robert H. Schaffer. Read the full post and join the discussion » Share Today's Tip: FEATURED PRODUCT Financial Intelligence, Revised Edition: A Manager's Guide to Knowing What the Numbers Really Mean Ebook Now Available Since its release in 2006, Financial Intelligence has become a favorite among managers who need a guided tour through the numbers — helping them to understand not only what the numbers really mean, but also why they matter. This new, completely updated edition brings the numbers up to date and continues to teach the basics of finance to managers who need to use financial data to drive their business. It also addresses issues that have become even more important in recent years — including questions around the financial crisis and those around broader financial and accounting literacy. ADVERTISEMENT Follow the Tip: PREVIOUS TIPS Build a Better Online Network Don't Make a Career Move You'll Regret How to Write Clearly Think Before Adopting the Latest Marketing Fad Encourage Employees to Want to Stay Use Questions to Build Your Case Win Over Your New Boss Master a New Skill Learn To Be Charismatic Write Your First Draft Fast All Previous Tips BEST SELLERS HBR's 10 Must Reads: The Essentials HBR's 10 Must Reads Boxed Set HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations HBR Guide to Better Business Writing HBR Guide to Getting the Right Work Done Introducing Mobile ManageMentor Powered by the proven content of Harvard ManageMentor™ iTunes >> Android >> UNSUBSCRIBE   |   UPDATE YOUR PROFILE   |   MORE EMAIL NEWSLETTERS   |   PRIVACY POLICY Was this email forwarded to you? If so, sign up to start receiving your own copy. ABOUT THIS MAILING LIST You have received this message because you subscribed to the "Management Tip of the Day" email newsletter from Harvard Business Review. If at any point you wish to remove yourself from this list, change your email address, or sign up for other email newsletters and alerts, please visit the Harvard Business Review Email Newsletter Preference Center. OPT OUT If you do not wish to receive any email messages from Harvard Business Review, click here. ADVERTISE WITH HBR This enewsletter is read by thousands of decision makers every day. Learn more about connecting your brand with this audience. Copyright © 2013 Harvard Business School Publishing, an affiliate of Harvard Business School. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing | 60 Harvard Way | Boston, MA 02163 Customer Service: 800-545-7685 (+1-617-783-7600 outside the U.S. and Canada)