How to make cultural change in media and tech companies

Making cultural change in media and tech companies - a few pointers

Spark Ninety’s team is witnessing first hand how major publishers, broadcasters, big tech firms and media startups are adapting to the unprecedented pace of industry change.

Clients sometimes ask us what differentiates successful, growing media companies from their peers in decline. It’s easy to think this is simply a question of leaders modifying their company’s strategic direction and implementing it. In fact, a huge part of any company reset will depend on altering ways of working, approaches to work and mindsets. Making things more agile is rarely about top down business strategy. Yes there are process and structure considerations, but mostly, it’s about culture and people.

In our experience, moving from ‘old’ to ‘new’ ways of working fall flat or fail unless you consider people and culture as an essential part. Culture - the often unspoken, but in-grained attitudes, norms, values and habits in an organisation - may even be the key aspect you need to change. It’s not easy - you’ll need consideration and knowledge of how behaviours, teams and people function.

It’s fundamental, of course, that leaders recognise the human, cultural needs and ‘walk the talk’ of desired behaviours.

A few other initial points to consider:

▪ Are you bringing your team along on your change journey? Your team is doing the work day-to-day. They know the issues they face. Listen to them - openly and honestly. Involving team members from the start not only gifts leaders invaluable guidance towards what will work best in the organisation. It also gives everyone skin in the game of change. Create cheerleaders and allies, not resistance.

▪ What are the key features of your culture now? What in this is driving or hindering the way you need to do business in the current landscape? Investigate this openly - don’t imagine that the leadership knows.

▪ What are the behaviours you need to change? Be clear over this and start by investigating what’s actually driving those behaviours (it might not be what you think). That’s where you need to focus your efforts.

▪ Once a strategy is set – both for business and culture - be clear and transparent over what is happening and what you expect from everyone. Just don’t count on the culture ‘fixing itself’ - plan for how to best work together with your team to implement it.

▪ Include a plan for any difficult decisions you may need to make. Keep these transparent and in line with what you’ve communicated. The last thing you need when making changes is surprises that erode trust.

For humans, change is difficult even when it’s welcome. Think before you start - if you don’t have the right expertise, work with those who do.

Jessica Sandin, Spark Ninety Advisory Board Member.