HBR IdeaCast

If You Want Culture Change, Create New Stories

174 snips
Sep 5, 2023
Jay Barney, a professor at the University of Utah’s Eccles School of Business and co-author of The Secret of Culture Change, discusses the vital role of storytelling in transforming organizational culture. He shares insights on how genuine actions, not just words, create impactful narratives that engage employees. Barney highlights successful examples, like a Brazilian telecom's customer-centric shift. He emphasizes the importance of theatrical elements in conveying significant messages and addresses challenges posed by remote work on cultural storytelling.
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ANECDOTE

Telesp’s Customer Service Revolution

  • Manoel Amorim, at Brazilian telecom Telesp, changed the company culture by prioritizing customer service.
  • He bought a faulty product, called the helpline, and then had the part-time helpline worker present solutions to the executive committee.
ADVICE

Show, Don't Tell

  • Don't announce culture change; demonstrate it through actions.
  • Act first, then let stories emerge organically from your actions, replacing old narratives.
ANECDOTE

Traeger Grills and Customer Service

  • At Traeger Grills, an employee went above and beyond for a Costco sales manager by flying to Seattle to fix his grill.
  • This act, driven by a customer-centric culture, impressed Costco and demonstrated Traeger's commitment.
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