Organizational Culture: Regenergizing The Athletic Department
Changing the Organizational Culture: Reenergizing the Athletic Department
Jason
Abstract
Efforts to change the organizational culture of companies large and small have been attempted by many professionals, with varying rates of success. The reason success has varied with the process is due to resistance to the change in comfort zone from those involved in the process of culture change. In this paper the process of culture change will be discussed, as a plan will be outlined to change the current culture in a stagnant athletic department. The plan will first call for observation of the current work environment and the staff in the current environment, and conduct employee interviews to develop an understanding of the attitudes within …show more content…
the department. Second the plan will require the development of a framework outline that creates a new vision, company mission, and establishing keys for success with clear pathways to allow promotion and growth. Finally the paper will discuss the implementation of the designed plan, which will only be effective with the full support of leadership and lead to the beginning of a fresh culture start within the department.
Keywords: framework, implementation, vision, mission,
Introduction
The task of changing the culture of any organization is a difficult one to say the least. It is due to this fact that many organizations rather remain on the same course, if the current results bring in some profit. The reason being that change usually cost increased financial investment, that some see as not worth the headache involved. Cultures form in organizations for many reasons, but it usually follows the attitude of leadership in the company and then trickles down to all the movable parts below. In order to change to culture established in a department, the new director must first observe the current culture that exists and assess the things that need to be addressed in the change process.
Assessing the Current Department Culture
The process of assessing the culture of the workplace takes time and effort, from those observing the current environment. This process may be one that yields positive results; or it may show a negative atmosphere of dysfunction. Regardless of what is learned from the process, the overall goal must not be forgotten; which is to learn from what is seen and make the proper adjustments to improve the organization. The observer must pay attention to the people in the environment noting how they perform there duties, the attitude they show towards the work performed, and how peer to peer interaction in the office environment. These components are the main contributions to the positive and negative factors that dominate the culture of the work environment.
Observing the Culture
Preparing to transform the athletic department requires close observation of the existing culture in the athletic department.
The new leadership must observe the way that the employees interact with each other, and the current physical environment of the department office. This task must be viewed with the eyes and attitude of and outsider, who is observing something for the first time and is completely unaware of the normal office culture and environment. The observer must pay attention to employee interaction within the physical environment of the office, noting if the employees feeling clustered and cramped, or separate and apart due to the office space. The observe must pay attention to employee interactions, with special attention to details like them having positive or negative interaction with each other in the office common …show more content…
areas.
Conducting Verbal Observations
An integral part of the observation process is to interview the employees in the department. (Noe…, et al 2009) This process can be achieved individually or by small group setting, where the participants are provided a comfortable setting where they feel free to express their opinions about the current sate of the department, and what they may feel are the positive or negative aspects of the work environment. The interviewer should ask “what” and “why” questions of the employees, to find out their opinions about the organization and why they feel the way the feel. The interviewer should also ask questions to assess what the employee would do to improve the organization if given the opportunity. In the interview the employee can be observed for level of comfort in the isolated session, and the staff can be observed interacting with each other in the group setting where further information can be gained towards interpreting the current work culture.
Establishing a Framework for Success
Based on the information learned from the employee observations and interviews, the company will establish a new operational framework that is focused on improving the culture and changing for the better of the organization. The framework will call for a new organizational plan that will consist of a newly imagined vision, a reinforcement of the company mission, establishing new company goals, and new policy for understanding and implementing the keys for success.
Introducing the New Vision
Changing the culture of the department, will require the introduction of a new vision stating what the department must become. The vision will become the projected image of the organization and encompass the abilities of the organization hopes to display to the outside environment. The vision will help address the concerns from the employee observations and interviews, and help in the process of making the staff feel excited and motivated to be a part of the vision that leads to a greater department future. The employees must embrace the new vision for the organization, and take a new pride in ensuring that the internalized company vision, becomes the external image that projected by the organization.
Reinforcing the Company Mission
The department vision will work in conjunction with a reinforcement of the mission of the department with a refocusing on its purpose. The focus on the department’s purpose for existence should be an important component of the new culture change, and should remind the employees of what there goals and actions should demonstrate. One of the main issues with organizations or departments that need to undergo culture change, is the lack of belief in the company mission. Employees often develop there own mission at the company, with a focus being on leaving to find better work environments. The new vision and new framework is geared to attacking this attitude, and feeding new life into the employee, and creating a new level of excitement toward the job the must happily perform to make the vision and mission a success. This new attitude toward realizing the department mission should enhance the personal mission of the employee of how to accomplish the department mission and achieve the best results.
Keys for Success
The employees now refocused with the department vision and mission will be introduced to the essential keys for success that will ensure the greatest opportunity for expected results. These keys will promote attitude for growth and promotion among the staff, and expand the income potential for the athletic department. Changing the culture of the organization, not only works to improve the outlook for the organization, but also to change the outlook of the staff as well. If there is a sense that a job well done will receive its just rewards, then there is a greater chance for job to be completed with an expected level of excellence. If the employee can see a clear path to success, with the end result being the opportunity for growth and promotion. It is logical to assume that they will be more than willing to follow the keys to be successful in the company.
Establishing Company and Employee Goals
Finally developing goals that work in conjunction with the keys for success that will allow for the recognition of employee success, and that will continue to press the department’s mission. Employees will need to develop personal growth or action plans, that can be mirrored to the steps in the keys to success. It can provide a system that allows the company and the employee to track and understand how they are performing within the organization, and show how they are progressing towards growth and promotion.
Organizations, where the majority of the staff have an understanding of the department vision, mission, and goals, have a greater opportunity for success.
This is why ensuring that the company and employee have a mutual understanding of the goals that must be achieved for success, is such an integral part of the greater success of the organization overall.
Implementing the Culture Change
The implementation of the culture change plan will be based on the information derived from the observation of the initial state of the department, the opinions and contributions from the current employees on the department status. It will follow the newly developed framework that introduces a new vision, a refined mission, new keys to success, and introduction of new department and individual employee goals for growth and promotion.
These components will serve as the plan for the department going forward, with the desired results being an invigorated and excited athletic department, where the staff feels a sense of pride in the job they perform. The new attitude will allow them to focus on a direction of growth and promotion they can achieve in the department.
Conclusion
Understanding the difficulties faced when trying to introduce a new culture to an old environment. The goal focus must remain concrete and fixated on achieving the desired outcome. The leaders in the department must show complete support of the changes as the direction is established from the top down, and must be effectively communicated to the staff, while providing all the necessary support to ensure effective implementation of the plan for change.
References
Gerhart, G, Hollenbeck, J. R., Noe, R. A., Wright, P. M. (2009). Fundamentals of human resource management. 3rd edition, Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson.
Heathfield, S. M.(2012). How to Change Your Culture: Organizational Culture Change
You Can Transform Your Culture With Conscious Steps. Retrieved from http://humanresources.about.com/od/organizationalculture/a/culture_change.htm
Schroeder, P. J. (2010). A Model for Assessing Organizational Culture in Intercollegiate Athletic Departments. Journal Of Issues In Intercollegiate Athletics, 98-118.
Schroeder, P. J. (2010). Changing Team Culture: The Perspectives of Ten Successful Head
Jason
Abstract
Efforts to change the organizational culture of companies large and small have been attempted by many professionals, with varying rates of success. The reason success has varied with the process is due to resistance to the change in comfort zone from those involved in the process of culture change. In this paper the process of culture change will be discussed, as a plan will be outlined to change the current culture in a stagnant athletic department. The plan will first call for observation of the current work environment and the staff in the current environment, and conduct employee interviews to develop an understanding of the attitudes within …show more content…
the department. Second the plan will require the development of a framework outline that creates a new vision, company mission, and establishing keys for success with clear pathways to allow promotion and growth. Finally the paper will discuss the implementation of the designed plan, which will only be effective with the full support of leadership and lead to the beginning of a fresh culture start within the department.
Keywords: framework, implementation, vision, mission,
Introduction
The task of changing the culture of any organization is a difficult one to say the least. It is due to this fact that many organizations rather remain on the same course, if the current results bring in some profit. The reason being that change usually cost increased financial investment, that some see as not worth the headache involved. Cultures form in organizations for many reasons, but it usually follows the attitude of leadership in the company and then trickles down to all the movable parts below. In order to change to culture established in a department, the new director must first observe the current culture that exists and assess the things that need to be addressed in the change process.
Assessing the Current Department Culture
The process of assessing the culture of the workplace takes time and effort, from those observing the current environment. This process may be one that yields positive results; or it may show a negative atmosphere of dysfunction. Regardless of what is learned from the process, the overall goal must not be forgotten; which is to learn from what is seen and make the proper adjustments to improve the organization. The observer must pay attention to the people in the environment noting how they perform there duties, the attitude they show towards the work performed, and how peer to peer interaction in the office environment. These components are the main contributions to the positive and negative factors that dominate the culture of the work environment.
Observing the Culture
Preparing to transform the athletic department requires close observation of the existing culture in the athletic department.
The new leadership must observe the way that the employees interact with each other, and the current physical environment of the department office. This task must be viewed with the eyes and attitude of and outsider, who is observing something for the first time and is completely unaware of the normal office culture and environment. The observer must pay attention to employee interaction within the physical environment of the office, noting if the employees feeling clustered and cramped, or separate and apart due to the office space. The observe must pay attention to employee interactions, with special attention to details like them having positive or negative interaction with each other in the office common …show more content…
areas.
Conducting Verbal Observations
An integral part of the observation process is to interview the employees in the department. (Noe…, et al 2009) This process can be achieved individually or by small group setting, where the participants are provided a comfortable setting where they feel free to express their opinions about the current sate of the department, and what they may feel are the positive or negative aspects of the work environment. The interviewer should ask “what” and “why” questions of the employees, to find out their opinions about the organization and why they feel the way the feel. The interviewer should also ask questions to assess what the employee would do to improve the organization if given the opportunity. In the interview the employee can be observed for level of comfort in the isolated session, and the staff can be observed interacting with each other in the group setting where further information can be gained towards interpreting the current work culture.
Establishing a Framework for Success
Based on the information learned from the employee observations and interviews, the company will establish a new operational framework that is focused on improving the culture and changing for the better of the organization. The framework will call for a new organizational plan that will consist of a newly imagined vision, a reinforcement of the company mission, establishing new company goals, and new policy for understanding and implementing the keys for success.
Introducing the New Vision
Changing the culture of the department, will require the introduction of a new vision stating what the department must become. The vision will become the projected image of the organization and encompass the abilities of the organization hopes to display to the outside environment. The vision will help address the concerns from the employee observations and interviews, and help in the process of making the staff feel excited and motivated to be a part of the vision that leads to a greater department future. The employees must embrace the new vision for the organization, and take a new pride in ensuring that the internalized company vision, becomes the external image that projected by the organization.
Reinforcing the Company Mission
The department vision will work in conjunction with a reinforcement of the mission of the department with a refocusing on its purpose. The focus on the department’s purpose for existence should be an important component of the new culture change, and should remind the employees of what there goals and actions should demonstrate. One of the main issues with organizations or departments that need to undergo culture change, is the lack of belief in the company mission. Employees often develop there own mission at the company, with a focus being on leaving to find better work environments. The new vision and new framework is geared to attacking this attitude, and feeding new life into the employee, and creating a new level of excitement toward the job the must happily perform to make the vision and mission a success. This new attitude toward realizing the department mission should enhance the personal mission of the employee of how to accomplish the department mission and achieve the best results.
Keys for Success
The employees now refocused with the department vision and mission will be introduced to the essential keys for success that will ensure the greatest opportunity for expected results. These keys will promote attitude for growth and promotion among the staff, and expand the income potential for the athletic department. Changing the culture of the organization, not only works to improve the outlook for the organization, but also to change the outlook of the staff as well. If there is a sense that a job well done will receive its just rewards, then there is a greater chance for job to be completed with an expected level of excellence. If the employee can see a clear path to success, with the end result being the opportunity for growth and promotion. It is logical to assume that they will be more than willing to follow the keys to be successful in the company.
Establishing Company and Employee Goals
Finally developing goals that work in conjunction with the keys for success that will allow for the recognition of employee success, and that will continue to press the department’s mission. Employees will need to develop personal growth or action plans, that can be mirrored to the steps in the keys to success. It can provide a system that allows the company and the employee to track and understand how they are performing within the organization, and show how they are progressing towards growth and promotion.
Organizations, where the majority of the staff have an understanding of the department vision, mission, and goals, have a greater opportunity for success.
This is why ensuring that the company and employee have a mutual understanding of the goals that must be achieved for success, is such an integral part of the greater success of the organization overall.
Implementing the Culture Change
The implementation of the culture change plan will be based on the information derived from the observation of the initial state of the department, the opinions and contributions from the current employees on the department status. It will follow the newly developed framework that introduces a new vision, a refined mission, new keys to success, and introduction of new department and individual employee goals for growth and promotion.
These components will serve as the plan for the department going forward, with the desired results being an invigorated and excited athletic department, where the staff feels a sense of pride in the job they perform. The new attitude will allow them to focus on a direction of growth and promotion they can achieve in the department.
Conclusion
Understanding the difficulties faced when trying to introduce a new culture to an old environment. The goal focus must remain concrete and fixated on achieving the desired outcome. The leaders in the department must show complete support of the changes as the direction is established from the top down, and must be effectively communicated to the staff, while providing all the necessary support to ensure effective implementation of the plan for change.
References
Gerhart, G, Hollenbeck, J. R., Noe, R. A., Wright, P. M. (2009). Fundamentals of human resource management. 3rd edition, Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson.
Heathfield, S. M.(2012). How to Change Your Culture: Organizational Culture Change
You Can Transform Your Culture With Conscious Steps. Retrieved from http://humanresources.about.com/od/organizationalculture/a/culture_change.htm
Schroeder, P. J. (2010). A Model for Assessing Organizational Culture in Intercollegiate Athletic Departments. Journal Of Issues In Intercollegiate Athletics, 98-118.
Schroeder, P. J. (2010). Changing Team Culture: The Perspectives of Ten Successful Head