The reasons for and driving forces of transformations can vary tremendously – from new strategies or restructurings to acquisitions or mergers. Yet it is always the hard facts and crucial decisions that are the "core to play". Whereas the soft factors and communication are the "key to win". Insufficient insight into the necessary changes is the greatest obstacle to change management.

The 4E’s provide a structure for change communication that allows each company to create its optimum program:

“Explore” employs cultural due diligence in order to evaluate the situation and identify areas where action is needed. “Envision” states the case for change and highlights the opportunities it can bring. “Engage” involves, among other things, the master story, which summarises the overall transformation. Finally, with “Execute”, the change communication becomes a comprehensive program for successful corporate transformation.

Every corporate culture is like an iceberg:
most of it is hidden at first glance. The symbols are visible to all – from the company's logo to its attire. The values which a company propounds can usually be seen if one takes a second look, sometimes in the form of a mission statement in the annual report or on display in the entrance area.

Yet the fundamental convictions which characterise a company are always found beneath the surface. When a company is changing, it is essential that these be recognised and further developed as part of the change management process.

The culture, the iceberg on which the employees operate, is a driving force within the organisation. This is usually unknown, unconscious. As a result of transformations, top managers complain that even though employees have all the information and know what is supposed to happen, they do not act accordingly. What employees lack in such cases is the conviction that they should act differently.

Cultural due diligence (CDD) provides a view of the company’s entire “iceberg” – including what lies beneath the surface. The key is to ascertain how structures are understood, in order to identify potential conflicts during the planned transformation and define the fields of action.

Within a short time, usually a matter of a few weeks, a CDD produces results that are often surprising, and always helpful, facilitating the objective of anchoring the objectives and opportunities posed by the transformation in the corporate culture:

Data analysis
The existing information is gathered – from visible instruments (such as brochures, announcements, intranet etc.), existing results and findings (surveys etc.), even indirect indications (such as a meeting culture). This can already identify potential areas of conflict regarding the planned transformation.

Cultural analysis
The emphasis of the CDD is firstly on in-depth interviews with management, as well as with externals such as customers or suppliers who know the company well, and secondly on focus groups in which employees from various areas of the company and different levels of the hierarchy are brought together at random. The focus is not on achieving a statistically representative sample, but rather on identifying the core themes and primary motivations of the employees – i.e. a comprehensive overview of the company’s iceberg.

Evaluation
Based on all of the findings, the fields of action for change management are defined, especially in the area of corporate organisation and communications, as well as in human resources management.

Change Communication
Silvia Schmidt

Gärtnerweg 4-8
60322 Frankfurt am Main
Phone +49 (69) 40578-443

Change Communication

Peakom supported the integration of acquired companies and the implementation of the new corporate strategy for Nutricia in Germany as part of the Danone Medical Nutrition Group.