63: Special Edition - Paula Harraca, ArcelorMittal, on top team buy in
Dec 3, 2020
auto_awesome
Paula Harraca, Head of People & Innovation at ArcelorMittal Long in Brazil, discusses building top team buy-in to a culture strategy for business success. Topics include cultural transformation, leveraging strengths for competitiveness, external expertise in change, external perceptions, personal reflections on culture impact, and encouraging a strategic approach to cultural initiatives.
Creating top team buy-in for culture strategy drives business success.
External support aids in navigating complex cultural transformation journeys effectively.
Deep dives
The Journey to Culture Transformation in a Leading Steel Manufacturer
A steel manufacturing company, Salam Metal, embarked on a culture transformation journey spearheaded by Paula Haraka, the head of people and innovation. Despite their industry-leading position, they noticed turnover rates rising, signaling internal challenges. The focus shifted from attracting younger employees to aligning culture with strategic objectives. By leveraging the company's ethos of excellence and ambition, they engaged top leadership in introspective discussions, driving a shift towards a solutions-oriented approach.
Partnering with Expertise for Cultural Transformation
Recognizing the need for external support due to the complexity and depth of cultural transformation, Salam Metal sought outside help to navigate their cultural journey. They chose Walking the Talk for its deep expertise spanning decades in cultural transformation. The partnership focused on neutrality, technical proficiency, and fostering a learning culture within the organization, ensuring a holistic and profound transformation process.
Driving Change from Within and Achieving Organizational Impact
Over a year into the cultural transformation journey, Salam Metal has achieved heightened self-awareness at individual, team, and organizational levels. Their commitment to transition from a commodity focus to a solution-oriented approach has led to profound changes, such as increasing leadership ownership, empowering teams through cultural toolkits, and aligning culture with the brand and customer experience. This intentional cultural evolution has not only impacted internal dynamics but also positioned the company positively in the eyes of external stakeholders, emphasizing the link between culture and brand value.
Special guest Paula Harraca, Head of People & Innovation at ArcelorMittal Long in Brazil, explains how she was able to build top team buy in to a culture strategy which has enabled a very successful business to gain an additional competitive advantage.