Ever wondered why 70 to 97% of change-driven strategies fail to meet their targets? Peter Drucker had a point when he famously said, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” It’s catchy, but are we truly absorbing its wisdom or just nodding along? While strategy might chart the course, it’s culture that determines how well and how fast we follow that course—and how successful the results are. Time and again, brilliant strategies flop because of a profound disconnect between culture and strategy—the former simply wasn’t on board. So, what can we do about it?
Culture is the how—how an organization behaves, communicates, makes decisions and brings plans to life. It’s rooted in the why—the values and beliefs that define an organization. But let’s face it: Values are just words on paper if the culture doesn’t walk the talk. In diverse organizations, there isn’t just one unified culture; instead, microcultures exist within teams and departments. What are these cultures? What values drive them? Are they in sync with the strategy or working against it? Where will strategy implementation thrive, and where will it falter? Answering these questions is crucial to turning your strategic plan into reality.
An All-Too-Common Strategic Blunder
Imagine you’re leading a well-known higher education institution in the early 2010s, facing a rapidly changing landscape and mounting pressures. The logical move? Tighten the budget, shift to online learning and innovate. But a few years later, the results are nowhere to be found. What went wrong?
Translating strategy into action isn’t typically the issue; the steps were straightforward. The real problem? A lack of alignment with the institution’s deeply rooted values and culture—values like tradition, residential education, collaborative deliberation and a strong commitment to liberal arts education. The strategy didn’t account for these cultural factors, nor did it address change management needs or how to pace change. There was no plan to support people or mitigate risks due to this misalignment. As a result, progress stalled.
Imagine if leadership had aligned its strategy with the institution’s culture. Would the outcome have been different? It’s a question worth pondering as you consider your own strategic efforts. Are you making decisions that truly reflect the core of your institution, or are you risking a similar fate by ignoring the cultural undercurrents?
Weaving Values and Culture into Strategic Planning
Integrating values and cultural considerations into strategic planning isn’t just a task for specialists; it’s a leadership responsibility. Processes must connect the what with the how and the why. Leaders must actively nurture a culture that aligns with the institution’s values, ensuring every action reflects these principles.
Start with Self-Awareness
Before diving into strategic planning, take a hard look at the microcultures within your institution. Just as healthy soil is essential for plants to thrive, understanding your institution’s microcultures is crucial for your strategy to take root. How well do you know the cultural landscape and the microvalues within it? Identify where there’s a need for extra support and make sure to provide it for strategy implementation to be successful. Also, ensure your leadership team is on board with prioritizing these support activities.
Spend Some Time Scenario Planning
This tool allows institutions to explore multiple potential futures and the implications of different decisions. Think of scenario planning as a dress rehearsal for your strategy. For instance, if your institution faces shifting demographics, scenario planning can spotlight challenges in maintaining diversity, prompting innovative solutions that uphold inclusivity. It’s not about predicting the future; it’s about being ready for it.
Engage the Right Stakeholders
Bringing stakeholders—students, faculty, staff, alumni and the community—into the conversation broadens perspectives on the perception and achievement of institutional values. Think of it as taking the pulse of your institution. If you don’t check in regularly, you might miss signs that your values need adjusting. Stakeholder feedback helps revisit and refine values, ensuring they stay relevant and resonate with the current context. These conversations can happen biannually, but remember: If you don’t act on the insights you receive, engagement will drop off. Clearly communicate how you are considering, addressing and acting upon stakeholders’ wisdom.
Bold Moves: Shaking Up Value-Driven Decision-Making
If you’re looking for innovative, evidence-based ideas that can deliver a leap forward in value alignment and culture change, consider these bold measures. Taking one or more of these actions will demonstrate your commitment to innovation, challenging the status quo and driving cultural change.
Institutional Audits as a Feedback Mechanism
Conduct an audit, ideally through an external neutral entity, to uncover how well values are embedded in decision-making processes. Think of it as a health check for your institution’s soul. An audit digs deep into how decisions are made at every level and whether they consistently reflect the institution’s core values. An audit can reveal where values aren’t fully integrated, prompting targeted interventions to realign actions with values.
Values-Based Innovation Labs
Picture this: a lab within the institution dedicated to experimenting with new ideas that align with core values. These labs can bring together diverse teams to tackle specific challenges, using values as a lens to explore innovative solutions. For example, a lab focused on learner equity might develop new approaches to campus operations or curriculum design that reinforce the institution’s commitment to serving all learners.
Dynamic Values Frameworks
Instead of treating values as static, unchanging statements, institutions should develop dynamic frameworks they regularly revisit and update. Treat your values like a living organism that needs to adapt and grow with your institution. This approach ensures decisions remain relevant and aligned with the institution’s mission in an ever-changing world.
Making Values, Culture and Strategy Allies
In today’s rapidly shifting environment, higher education institutions face the dual challenge of making complex decisions while ensuring those decisions are rooted in their values. Leaders must develop a keen awareness of the values and microcultures within their organizations and use this knowledge to inform strategic planning.
Ultimately, integrating values into decision-making isn’t just about preserving tradition; it’s about staying true to the institution’s mission while evolving to meet present and future needs. Embracing this challenge allows institutions to lead with a deep understanding of the diverse tapestry that shapes their organization, fostering integrity, inspiring trust and making decisions that not only navigate uncertainty but also uphold the principles at the core of their identity.
Are you ready to roll up your sleeves and ensure your strategies are more than just wishful thinking? It starts with aligning your values, culture and strategy today. Take a step, evaluate its impact, revisit it and revise it. Remember, in the battle between culture and strategy, culture usually wins. So why not make them allies? Your institution—and its future—will thank you.