Understanding the unspoken web of beliefs and perceptions that shapes "how we do things here" can enable you to make strategic business transitions swiftly and successfully. This may include technology transitions, market shifts, mergers and acquisitions, etc.

Culture Analysis and Change Understanding the unspoken web of beliefs and perceptions that shapes "how we do things here" can enable you to make strategic business transitions swiftly and successfully. This may include technology transitions, market shifts, mergers and acquisitions, etc.

• Shape the culture to support your business strategy
• Avoid wasting resources on programs that won't work
• Choose alliances that fit the way your organization works

If you are trying to make a significant shift in your business (such as integrating two companies) and you feel as though you are trying to navigate in a maze of invisible walls, you may be running into the culture. Maybe your initiatives don't take off the way they should. Or your policies trigger "work around's." Or decisions are often revisited. Any of these can be symptoms that the culture is not in sync with the strategy.

There are four key steps to producing a culture analysis that can be used to align the culture with the strategy.

1. Define the focus of the analysis so that it is focused on those aspects of the culture that are connected to the business issue.
2. Gather the stories which will reveal the powerful influences on individual behavior in.
3. Analyze the stories for compelling themes that are relevant to your business issues.
4. Explain why things are they way they are.

Based on the stories and themes, we will articulate the key motivators, what employees believe will trigger those motivators, and their beliefs and perceptions relevant to each motivator.

These four steps will turn the lights on, revealing your culture in a way that allows you to use it to manage the organization more effectively and achieve your business objectives.

With over 25 years experience backed by doctoral research in human and organizational systems, we have worked with a wide range of organizations from high-tech start-ups to global Fortune 500 companies. This breadth and depth of experience enables superior results from Optima.