a physics lesson for culture change

This is a bit of a physics lesson for those of you thinking about improving your organisation's culture.

The stone is the problem. It is the current state of your culture. It has built up over many years and is engrained and entrenched in you and your people. It has substantial inertia (the tendency of a body to remain at rest). You need to overcome the inertia and roll the stone towards the desired state of your culture.
 
The fulcrum is the strategy. It is the pivot point around which a lever turns. It represents what you have decided to do to change culture. By itself, nothing happens, as no force has been transferred.

The lever is the commitment. A lever is a rigid bar which pivots around a point to transfer force to a load. It is a means of gaining mechanical advantage. 

It's OK to decide what to do to change your culture, but nothing happens until you are committed to, and take action. (tweet this)

Many people are doing nothing to change their culture because the stone seems immovable.

Others have put their shoulder to it and are busting a gut but getting nowhere - they have no mechanical advantage.

The key is to decide what it is that you need to do (the fulcrum), gain commitment of your team (the lever) and take action (apply force to the lever).

And one last piece of scientific mumbo jumbo - the longer the lever (ie the stronger your commitment), the less force you will have to apply to move the stone.

Smart leaders gain their team's commitment for action before they bust a gut. Let me know if we can help.

Cheers

Greg