Changing What Lies Beneath

Are underlying beliefs and assumptions taring apart your organization, group, or even family? If so, you can regain control by following three simple steps.

1. Set Clear Expectations

In order to derail and change underlying rules or behaviors that exist in your organization, you must first establish very clear expectations and values that each group member must adhere to. For optimal success and implementation in establishing these expectations, allow all members of the group to participate in the development of these expectations. As a ground rule for this process, remind everyone that the expectations agreed upon must be in-line with who you are as a group and what you hope to eventually achieve.

2. Accountability and Consistency

Once clear expectations have been established and are agreed upon, it is extremely important to be consistent in holding everyone accountable to them. This takes discipline and commitment but is absolutely necessary to change the current underlying assumptions and beliefs or culture of your group. As soon as you fail to hold someone accountable to the expectations, the lower standard allowed instantly becomes your new level of expectation. This is a very common downfall among all groups and organizations.

Without getting to political, one example in our country is immigration. As a country we have established laws on how to immigrate to our country legally however these laws have not been fully enforced. Thus, the lack of enforcement of these laws makes them irrelevant and meaningless, creating an underlying assumption that it is perfectly okay not to obey these laws. By not being consistent and holding people accountable to these established standards, we have instituted a new standard by our actions or lack thereof.

This is one example how written laws or expectations are meaningless without consistent enforcement and accountability. Letting your standards and expectations slip is very common and very costly as it negatively impacts any organization. Thus, in order to change underlying beliefs, do not allow poor performance to go unnoticed!

3. Direction

Each group needs a clear understanding of the direction they are headed. This includes what their ultimate goals are and where they would like to eventually end up as a group. This direction tells people why they exist as an organization and why they should adhere to the established expectations. Setting a clear direction will motivate and align each individual in a group to reach common goals.

Following these steps will begin to help you change the underlying beliefs and assumptions of your group. This belief system is often known as a group’s culture. This unwritten belief system of every group is very powerful and can have both a positive or negative impact on the organization. Thus, it is important to monitor culture frequently.

Impacting and influencing organizational culture is one of the most difficult yet most rewarding and important things leaders can do to gain group success. Learning to influence and change culture will make you an extraordinary and effective individual and leader whether it be in a large corporation or simply your own family. We all have the ability to influence each culture we are a part of so start today to regain control of your organizations. Start today to build your organizational culture!