RC2

1. Select Realignment Coordinator(s).

Phase 1 - Jump Start. The initial selection of a Realignment Coordinator may be one of the most critical selections made during this entire process. If time is a critical factor, the selection may be predicated on identifying someone well known in the organization who can make logistical arrangements. Scheduling places for events throughout the first phase (and beyond) will be important initially to establish and maintain momentum. Under ideal conditions, however, it may be more effective to start off with someone who is not well known, but rather has a reputation for neutrality. The selection ought to be someone whom workers will be more apt to place trust and confidence in than will likely occur if a perceived member of the established management team is selected.

Phase 2 - Getting Organized. If the ideal selection has not already been made, by the end of Phase 2, a shift is recommended. During this phase, it is an imperative that the Realignment Coordinator attend the Cultural Facilitation (CF) course. The primary Champion is encouraged to attend CF graduations as a way of demonstrating support for those who will be close to the front line of cultural change. As people are selected and attend the CF course, the Champion and Coordinator must be on the lookout for people with potential who can expand the Coordinators influence deep into the organization structure. Together the Champion and Coordinator must encourage a diverse and disbursed (across the organization structure) group of course attendees.

Phase 3 - Expansion. By the end of Phase 3 each major sub-element of the organization (branch or section, for example) ought to have its own assistant Realignment Coordinator and an emerging group of active Cultural Facilitators who have been school trained. These people must be thinking about the important tasks of sustaining realignment efforts without burning out the same few people who naturally gravitate toward change agent positions. Remember too that Champions will be attending specialized learning events during phase 3 titled: "Leadership and Management in the New Culture (LMNC)." Champions at the middle management and first line supervision level have not yet been completely involved prior to the LMNC except at core realignment sessions, and this is often not complete involvement. New teams must be developed in this phase to fully engage the structured and parallel organizations.

Phase 4 - Replacement Selection. During Phase 4 one or more individuals who have served as assistant realignment coordinators ought to be considered for the prime Realignment Coordinator position in the organization. The duties of this position are arduous and it would be unfair to continue the same person in this position indefinitely. Additionally, by the end of Phase 4, another data collection effort will have been completed, giving birth to new priorities which will provide direction for the new prime Realignment Coordinator in filling that role.

Phase 5 - Transition. During Phase 5 it is important that Realignment Coordinator and Facilitator roles and teams shift effectively. New people should be considered for new positions, while others who have not been involved at all must be sent to training so they too can take an active and effective role in the process. The Sustainment efforts of Phase 5 should prompt a reinvention so that a new "S-Curve" can begin a system renewal precisely when needed--at least one catalyst for which will be newly assigned people to these key positions.

2. Establish Systemic Networks.

Phase 1 - System Logistics. The first Phase 1 primary event is an all-hands orientation so that everyone in the organization will have an opportunity to learn first-hand what cultural realignment is all about. Our experience suggests that many people will have a preconceived notion and that some will attend the orientation sessions in disbelief (they will hear what they came to hear rather than what is actually said). The second major Phase 1 event as an all-hands data Fair during which data collection results are displayed for everyone to see and ask questions about. Realignment Coordinators will schedule facilities and coordinate distribution and collection of information packages. These activities will require a network of people able to make things happen quickly and efficiently. Where necessary, Champions must be quick to introduce newly assigned Realignment Coordinators to those who will support this effort. In some cases, the Champion may not be in the best position to make these introductions and must rely on others to assist this "making connections" effort.

Phase 2 - Through the Hierarchy - The Parallel-Convergent Organization. As core phases are initiated and realignment work progresses through an organization it will become imperative that a chain of congruent relationships develop that enable both a reliable dissemination and collection of information that will help the cultural realignment process succeed. Often, in the initial stages of realignment this network will cause some fracture in existing relations. Care must be take to minimize these fractures and enable them to be healed over the course of the first year. Partnering between Realignment Champions and Realignment Coordinators can be strengthened as they strategize how to meet the resistance as it emerges. Cultural Facilitators will be bringing the Beliefs Set to life deep into the fabric of the organization under the direction of the Champion and prime Realignment Coordinator. The parallel organization begins to develop during the first iteration, and it must be converged effectively by year's end. Often resistance emerges among those in the line-of-authority since their human resources are being directed to activities other than the ones they control. Resentment is apt to bog things down unless the Champion is able to help overcome it. The networks that result from these experiences become an integral part of realignment success and have much to do with the quality of the relationship between the prime Champion and Realignment Coordinator.

Phase 3 - Crossing-boundaries. As Strategy is developed and prioritized within each mission area it must be effectively integrated between organizational elements. Realignment Coordinators and Cultural Facilitators are in an ideal position to accomplish this task of implementing strategic initiatives across organizational boundaries when effectively chartered by the prime Champion. Additionally, the specialized organizational learning that occurs in Phases 2 and 3 at the Cultural Facilitation course and the "Leadership and Management in the New Culture" (LMNC) event forms a perfect bridge for breaking down dysfunctional organization boundaries. The Champion, Cultural Realignment Coordinator, and Cultural Facilitation assets of the organization are an imperative to accelerate this happening.

Phase 4 - Integrating the Customer. Having developed and prioritized as set of integrated strategies in Phase 3, it will be time to involve customers in the final detailing of work. The Champion must be prepared to engage the customer base in this effort in order to make good on a promise of more responsive products and services. The Cultural Realignment Coordinators must manage the internal culture to assure that customer desires are tempered with a realistic cultural capacity to perform effectively and efficiently.

Phase 5 - Inter-System Connections. During the Sustainment efforts of Phase 5, the Champion and Realignment Coordinator team becomes a primary catalyst for integrating across systems (to other client organizations) for the purpose of learning and continuous performance and cultural improvement. Having made successful efforts toward the customer base, it may be appropriate to turn some attention to vendors and suppliers. Certainly the environmental scan teams normally activated during Phase 5 will be loaded with information about what the future holds for the industry within which the organization currently resides and will be able to distribute that information throughout the organization.

3. Integrate Management Teamwork.

Phase 1 - Acknowledgement. Resistance can be expected in any system at the first iteration of Phase 1. Managers and supervisors have a vested interest in the system in whatever state it is as the cultural realignment effort begins. If the system is not well off, the resistance may take the form of resentment or even potential embarrassment. The current management team must be acknowledged, and they must be able to acknowledge that the work they have done was not necessarily right or wrong. That work had neither all bad nor all good results. The Champion and Realignment Coordinator must have a no-fault attitude toward the current team as they launch into a potential corrective action. There must also be an acknowledgement that "culture" does not belong to management, and cannot be changed by management. Management can be a powerful catalyst in that effort, however.

Phase 2 - Preparing Special Assistants. The Champion and Realignment Coordinator are encouraged jointly to present to the current management team the need for training assistants that can help change the culture of the organization. Naturally, the best alternative is that the current managers and supervisors will nominate potential Cultural Facilitators for these courses. Volunteers are also encouraged and will require supervisors' support in order to be successful.

Phase 3 - Realigning Leaders and Managers. In Phase 3 all those in leadership, management, or supervisory positions (and those who are about to enter those positions) are invited to an event titled: Leadership and Management in the New Culture (LMNC). Invitations must be supported with strong encouragement from the Champion in order to be effective. Once the course is completed, the prime Champion must model new behaviors and priorities and monitor others to assure they are doing the same. The Realignment Coordinator must watchful to assure that the Champion is aware of who attends and who does not.

Phase 4 - Adjusting the Work. During the core events some work will be identified as low priority or work that ought to be discontinued. Those close to the work are the ones that will either make the adjustments to work happen or ignore the new priorities of a new organization culture. First line supervisors will have their turn at resisting change if they have not already. Some of the people who are influential will be in a management position, others will be once removed from direct involvement. In all cases, mechanisms must be put into place that will "track" work adjustments to assure they are in line with new directions. Realignment Coordinators must be concerned with the metrics of change while the Champions must be involved with assuring work performance and cultural realignment.

Phase 5 - Developing Tolerance. As the organization enters the Sustainment period of Phase 5, management tolerance to change and adaptability must be enhanced. This adaptability must manifest itself in a learning approach to the examination of data from the data collection effort characteristically completed between Phase 4 and Phase 5. An important use for the "new" data will be determining the new priorities. These new priorities may have shifted from the previous year. Managers and supervisors must be ready and willing to shift emphasis along with those priorities in order to respond well to the environment within which the organization must fit.

4. Open Broad Communications Lines.

Phase 1 - All-Hands Orientations. Both wide distribution of literature and specific face-to-face meetings available to all personnel characterize Phase 1. Data Fairs lay all the cards on the table and provide a mechanism to talk deliberately about what needs to be done over the next year. Champions and Realignment Coordinators must be present to emphasize the importance of this project. When possible they must take part in the presentation of the data.

Phase 2 - Facilitated Meetings. As soon as Cultural Facilitators are available in any part of the organization having regularly scheduled meetings, those meetings ought to be facilitated by a trained team of Cultural Facilitators. This facilitation mandate ought to be initiated by the prime Champion and metrics developed for the Champion by the Realignment Coordinator. As confidence is gained, post-meeting clinics must become the norm in an effort to continuously improve performance and to practice another way of discussing important things in an open forum.

Phase 3 - Open and Invitational forums. Traditional meetings, characterized by "information out," patterns must be replaced with facilitated open forums during which everyone in attendance addresses important topics. It is typical that initial meetings of this type will meet resistance, but resistance must not deter the Champion. The Realignment Coordinator can do much to prepare for the open meeting by collecting difficult topics in advance, and acting as the agent for those unable or unwilling to voice their legitimate concerns in an open forum.

Phase 4 - Public Displays of Data and Information. Not all communications have to be of the open forum type. In many cases, just the posting of information or data in a public place so that people can have access to it is an important step in opening up communications patterns. The Realignment Coordinator must work with any webmaster assigned in the organization to accomplish open communications using electronic means whenever possible. Other displays such as bulletin boards or data displays in the organization will also serve a useful purpose. Some information may be driven to its intended destination by pre-established criteria determined by the end user. Other information must be "loaded" in smart categorical delivery systems so that it can effortlessly travel from those who have it to those who want or need it. Such a system is culturally smart.

Phase 5 - Assisted Migration to Work (Balancing the Workload). A new task for leadership and management in the new culture is being able to publish work-related requirements so that workers (regardless of status or position) can migrate to required work successfully. It must become primarily a "pull" system rather than a "push" system. The Champion must be prepared and actually sanction such a system without relinquishing control of priorities, and the Realignment Coordinator in cooperation with others in the line-of-authority must be a catalyst in allowing the right person to migrate to the right work with minimal effort.

5. Normalize Teaming Experience.

Phase 1 - Initiate a New Pattern. Every trend in the organization development arena points to the fact that teams and teaming are here to stay. Anyone thinking that learning team-related skills is here today and gone tomorrow has missed the boat. Right from the start in Phase 1, we form a data collection team to determine survey items, and we insist that supervisors and managers are not on the team. We like to have the team a fully volunteer group. We don't mind, in fact welcome, a few cynics. We are strong advocates that teams remain leaderless as long as possible by letting the facilitation team play a surrogate leadership role until the group members get an opportunity to learn each other's style and compatibility. We also advocate that whoever charters the team be prepared to implement the team's recommendations and further draft team members onto the implementation phase. The prime Champion and all Champions must demonstrate their commitment to this new way of doing business from the start or as quickly as possible once the project unfolds.

Phase 2 - Provide Ample Opportunity. Initial data is designed to prioritize potential team opportunities. The top five team assignments are normally identified by the data reports. Typically, as these symptoms are followed to a root cause, additional team opportunities arise that can be easily assigned by the Champion and monitored by the Realignment Coordinator.

Phase 3 - Balance the Teams Deliberately. Whenever possible balance the teams with as many demographics as possible. Mix the gender, racial backgrounds, education, structural assignments, and the RGB predispositions. If need be, allow any team the option to draft the members needed (workload permitting). Not everyone serving on a team must have completed the Cultural Facilitation event, but enough team players should be assigned to teams to normalize team behaviors. The Realignment Coordinator ought to maintain records of who is on the various teams and records of attendance. Plans to overcome burnout and routinely optimistic or pessimistic members on teams should be evaluated periodically. We believe strongly that the price of organizational citizenship is team activity to work on and increase the capacity of the organization's culture. In the absence of sufficient volunteers, the Champion ought to press people into compatible service beginning at Phase 3 with recommendations from the Realignment Coordinator.

Phase 4 - Provide Central Coordination. By Phase 4 there ought to be an abundance of teams in operation. Coordinating the efforts of these teams and being certain that none are overlooked is a primary responsibility of the Realignment Coordinator. The Champion must inquire as to team progress on a regular basis.

Phase 5 - Publish Learnings. As teams become common in the new culture, the learnings that results ought to be published and transferred from one initiative to another. The Realignment Coordinator is the ideal source for this archive of learning.. Learnings ought to be published at Cultural Realignment Exchange opportunities so that "fertilization" can happen across the organization.

6. Initiate High Risk Projects Early-on.

Phase 1 - Tackle Tough Issues. Pay attention to the data from the first opportunity. Use the prioritization of issues from your Trend Tower to assign teams without regard to how tough the issue might be. Take some early risk to show a high yield dividend from the start. The Realignment Coordinator can help prepare the early charters for team involvement. The Champion must be aggressive to get things underway. If the issues are too hot to handle with internal facilitators, ask for external support.

Phase 2 - Confront Decision Norms. As the values are clarified in Phase 2, they are used to stabilize decisions across the organization. As difficult decisions are faced, the Champion must be the first and most fierce advocate for decisions-by-values as stated in the Beliefs Set. The Realignment Coordinator must assist by ensuring stories concerning decision pattern alterations are made visible in the organization.

Phase 3 - Implement Prioritized Strategic Initiatives. It is always difficult to abandon a strategy that is in place. Often, current strategies are not well articulated and have become a matter of habit rather than a matter of deliberate intention. As Phase 3 clarifies strategic initiatives (new things that ought to be done), The Champion must make assignments so that strategic initiatives will have a shepherd. The Realignment Coordinator must see to it that strategies are clear and accessible to everyone in the organization and that people understand how their work each day fits with the prioritized strategic initiatives as published.

Phase 5 - Continuously Question the Status Quo. Adaptability adds strength and vitality to an organization's culture. Increased cultural capacity is a direct product of developing tolerance for change. Organizations that have come through chaos are likely to settle down into a new rhythm and resist change unless change is self- generated deliberately. We advocate a continuous examination (with reasonable and intentional resting periods built in) of the status quo to insure developing strong adaptability and innovation skills in the organization. An ideal time to reinvent is during natural growth periods when energy is high, not when the organization settles into another slump. The Champion must insist on these foundational concepts when on-going, long-term investment in cultural capacity is desired.

7. Alter Decision-Making Patterns Quickly.

Phase 1 - Use Data Collaboratively. Culture will rarely change appreciably in the absence of an altered decision-making pattern. Using data driven decision-making techniques in a collaborative process will accelerate culture change in a desirable direction. When Champions charter a team to make a recommendation, there must be a strong (very strong) probability that the recommendation will be accepted quickly and implemented. We advocate that the Champion retain most of the team in place to implement the recommendation they make when accepted. In addition, we advocate that teams use an open system to gain members through volunteer mechanisms whenever possible to ensure highly collaborative processes. This effort to recruit volunteer teams, self-selected by interest in the issue, begins with the data collection team and continues throughout the project.

Phase 2 - Establish Value-based Template. During Phase 2, the Beliefs Set establishes values that are to be used to add continuity to decision-making across the organization structure. With this effort, management must place added confidence in decisions that are made without their direct involvement insisting only that sound judgment and reliance on the value-based template be used. Managers ought to be making fewer decisions. And workers ought to be making decisions that rely on their expertise as a decision-making foundation. Champions at all levels in the organization ought to be aware of the consistency brought to organizational decisions through the application of the value-based template. Realignment Coordinators must collect information concerning the Return-on-Investment in time and quality of decisions based on this value-based template.

Phase 3 - Develop Prioritized Strategies. As priorities shift, and strategic initiatives are implemented, Champions must check on progress at regular meetings and hold appropriate individuals and groups accountable for achieving strategic goals. Realignment Coordinators must gather consolidated records to reflect progress and report on cultural change results periodically while responsible program managers report on performance results. An important issue in adopting new programs is the notion that something's got to fall off the full plate. It will be the job of Champions and Realignment Coordinators to assure that the rights things are considered for discontinuance.

Phase 4 - Prioritize Essential Work. Core programs are identifiable for all major structural elements in an organization. Once these core programs have been identified, they must be documented, clarified, and continually improved. The Champion must validate the top priorities and oversee the progress in the documentation and continuous improvement effort. Realignment Coordinators must collect and report on cultural metrics associated with these programs regularly.

Phase 5 - Practice Continuous Adjustment. The Champion is the focal point in the organization for acquiring information about issues and programs that will have an impact on the way business is done. Other subject matter experts will also contribute to data gathering. This information must be reviewed centrally by the Environmental Scan Team for impact and recommendations. The Champion must consult this group on a recurring basis.

8. Learn from Experiences.

Phase 1 - Data Fair. Each Data Fair will produce specific learnings. The facilitation team must collect and publish learnings in an effort to improve performance and culture in subsequent events. The Champion must report on those learnings and the Realignment Coordinator must distribute them across the organization in some way that others can benefit from them. Under ideal conditions, people would validate the learnings with an appropriate feedback method.

Phase 2 - Beliefs Set. When the Beliefs Set is initially established and when it is revisited annually, learning ought to be collected and published in an effort to strengthen the process by which organization direction is attained and sustained. The Champion must be the primary reporter of learnings across the entire organization.

Phase 3 - Strategy Bridge. As strategic initiatives shift learning must be captured that pertains to performance as well as to the impact on organization culture. The impact of discontinuing strategic initiatives as well as beginning fresh initiatives must be thought out and reported by the Champion.

Phase 4 - Work Regimen. As learnings emerge during Phase 4, the Realignment Coordinator must be mindful that economies can be attained from one work group to another by sharing of successes and failures. Well working processes developed may be easily adaptable to other areas in the organization. The Champion and Realignment Coordinator must be aware that their eyes are likely the most effective in spotting these learnings.

Phase 5 - Sustainment. One of the most important issues addressed in the Sustainment effort is, "What have we learned, and how can we apply that learning to improve performance during the next iteration of this process?" During Sustainment it is the Champion's job to report on the state of culture realignment and offer some insight into what might be done better in the future. The Champion's status report must be supported by the Realignment Coordinator's records and collected wisdom from each phase completed.

9. Watch and Respond to the Numbers.

Phase 1 - Data Collection Results. Enormous effort goes into collecting data to determine the status of an organization's culture. The items are interesting, and they are essential signposts that point to areas where improvements are needed (essential). Systemic trends become apparent and are automatically prioritized. Symptoms are highlighted and are often easily problem-solved. If data collection results are ignored, the organization is headed for trouble. A prime responsibility of the Champion is to keep both the systemic trends and individual elements in full view to assure proper attention is given to improving both. Realignment Coordinators can easily advise on the necessity to charter teams to identify and resolve problems and must take that responsibility seriously.

Phase 2 - Involvement. Sufficient people must be involved in the culture realignment project for it to accomplish its outcomes. Approximately one third positive involvement of the workforce will be required to overcome poor cultural attributes eventually. As the organization approaches 100% involvement cultural change is assured. The Realignment Coordinator must watch involvement numbers to assure the maximum impact. Moreover, the Realignment Coordinator can determine if the "demographics of involvement" will produce the desired results. If only people with a positive outlook toward culture attend events, little change is likely to occur. If sufficient diversity is not involved, change will be slow or perhaps even counterproductive.

Phase 3 - New Imperatives. If the organization does not commit to undertaking strategic initiatives that will produce a desired yield, one can predict stagnation and ultimate deterioration. If the commitment is there but sufficient attention is not paid the strategic initiatives, the Champion ranks need to move into appropriate action. Numbers can be developed to determine whether there is congruence between assigned priority of strategic initiative and DOING something about the strategic initiative. Once the numbers have been determined, they must be watched and responded to accordingly.

Phase 4 - Core Process Clarity. As processes are flow chart diagrammed and clarified through narrative, metrics are more easily assigned. Clarity about processes and metrics about performance will call attention to those areas that will return a favorable result to the organization. The Realignment Coordinator must keep the metrics and the Champion must be prepared to follow through with actions that the numbers indicate will be necessary.

Phase 5 - No Surprise Scenario. It is the Champion along with assistance from the Environmental Scan Team who will predict an organization future into which the organization must fit. The two variables determining success are (a) how the organization responds, and (b) how accurate that picture can be calculated. Metrics will detail the degree to which the organization is doing what it forecast it ought to do. The "how responsive" question will be answered by how well the organization sustains the momentum of continuous cultural realignment. A decision to continue cultural realignment work may depend on the Return-on-Investment (ROI) calculation.

10. Stay Connected to the Outside.

Phase 1 - Data Collection and Interpretation. Having an outside resource collect and interpret the data used to make decisions about the cultural capacity of the organization is an imperative. Internal collection will always yield a more favorable metric that an outside collection mechanism. Although internal means must always be used to validate the data, an external source is an invaluable resource in providing an impartial view. Only the Champion can engage those outside resources for the organization.

Phase 2 - Impartial View. An outside resource can best provide feedback or ask difficult questions about the organization without fear of cultural reprisal. Often people in an organization want to do the right thing or ask the right question but hesitate to do so for fear their candor may cause them or their career damage. The Champion alone can commission an outside resource to fully play this vital role.

Phase 3 - Cultural Insights and Experience. An outside resource brings with it the experience gained from similar organizations, thus saving time and effort in an exploratory process. There is no other way to achieve this level of insight and experience. Internal organization development practitioners eventually minimize this capability by staying "inside" the organization culture they serve.

Phase 4 - Shortcuts. Experience from outside the organization enables people to learn what they need quickly from a practical base rather than a theoretical one. Learnings from an industry are easily transferred from one organization to another with minimal loss and maximum economy.

Phase 5 - Confidence and Consistency. Client Champions have noted regularly that they feel they are buying a guide that provides their organization with confidence that cultural realignment is possible and deliberate. They have found a system that brings consistency across their organization and assurance that the job can be done on-time and within budget.

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