Barbara, the Managing Director of the Italian division of a global corporation, sought help to address two major challenges impacting the company’s future growth: the organization’s readiness for upcoming changes and a deeply ingrained hierarchical culture. The division had long operated under a command-and-control, paternalistic leadership style, which stifled creativity, risk-taking, and collaboration.
Middle management was not empowered to make decisions, and non-achievers were tolerated, leading to inefficiencies and frustration. Recognizing the need for a cultural shift, Barbara aimed to move the organization toward a more dynamic, performance-driven culture capable of adapting to future changes.
The first phase focused on developing self-awareness among participants, particularly in how they responded to change. The workshops introduced key concepts like the emotional side of change, the change curve model, and the importance of understanding underlying emotions and assumptions that drive behaviour. Participants were encouraged to reflect on their own emotions and behaviours in the face of change, using tools like the "iceberg" model to explore deeper patterns of engagement and behaviour.
During these sessions, it became clear that there was significant cynicism and frustration among middle managers and non-managers, particularly toward senior leadership. This lack of trust and communication across the organization had fostered a sense of disillusionment. Many employees had lost hope that leadership could drive meaningful change. To address this, significant time was spent building psychological safety, allowing participants to express frustrations and share their concerns openly.
As the sessions progressed, it became evident that middle managers were often playing the role of victims, feeling powerless to influence change. At the same time, senior leaders and middle managers struggled with self-reflection, finding it difficult to acknowledge that change needed to start with them. Recognizing this, the workshops were adjusted to focus more on building self-awareness and helping individuals realize their personal role in driving change.
The leadership team, in particular, needed to demonstrate role-modelling behaviour to rebuild trust within the organization. Over time, shifts in awareness began to emerge, with participants moving from a mindset of "others need to change first" to "I need to change as well." This transition helped create a more proactive attitude across the organization, empowering individuals to take ownership of the change process.
The final phase focused on defining the desired culture and embedding it across all levels of the organization. The leadership team, middle managers, and non-managers were brought together in a final workshop to discuss cultural values and agree on specific actions to facilitate the transition. This session was pivotal in fostering dialogue, rebuilding trust, and setting the foundation for a new organizational culture.
The desired culture was characterized by behaviours such as giving and accepting honest feedback, demonstrating empathy, and fostering collaboration across departments. The leadership team was tasked with role-modelling these behaviours to ensure the cultural shift was fully embraced throughout the organization. Additionally, the organization implemented four structural conditions to support the change: role modelling, a compelling story, reinforcement mechanisms, and skill-building.
The culture change initiative resulted in significant shifts in mindset and behaviour across the organization. Participants, especially middle managers, developed greater self-awareness and began taking proactive steps to manage change effectively. Trust between different levels of the organization was gradually rebuilt, and there was a noticeable shift from a hierarchical, top-down culture to a more collaborative, empowered environment. One key behaviour that was successfully embedded was the courage to give and accept honest feedback, which had a significant impact on improving communication and trust. The leadership team, under the guidance of the new Managing Director, Marco, continued to reinforce these behaviours and drive the cultural transformation forward.
Middle managers developed a more proactive mindset, taking ownership of change rather than feeling like victims of it.
Psychological safety and honest feedback became embedded behaviours, rebuilding trust across all levels of the organization.
The command-and-control culture gave way to a more dynamic, empowered environment focused on shared performance.
Cultural transformation requires more than structural changes — it demands that leaders at every level start by changing themselves. Building psychological safety and self-awareness creates the foundation for lasting behavioural and cultural shift.