Speaking Topics

When fewer than one third of CEOs surveyed understand their organizational cultures (Deloitte Human Trends Reports, 2016), many leaders are leaving a source of untapped business potential on the proverbial table – the invention, positivity, and brilliance in their cultures.  Although the participation of people at all organizational levels is needed to evolve a culture, leaders need to guide the process. Culturally brilliant leadership entails a heightened level of self-awareness, a willingness to explore cultural blind spots, and a connection to the “right brain” of a culture—relational aspects such as connection, creativity, and vulnerability. This doesn’t mean we leave the left brain (the logical, linear part) behind, it means we seek a balance.

Cultural change itself is iterative and belief-based, rather than task-oriented or procedural. Leaders set the stage for change by clearly exhibiting learnership: The willingness to listen, to be inclusive, and to discuss the discomfort and/or exhilaration of growth at pivotal organizational moments.

When faced with a planned or unexpected change, many organizations focus on what is wrong, broken, or defective instead of what calls forth positivity, purpose, and brilliance in people. Claudette helps organizations create cultures that proactively respond to change in ways that decrease stress, inspire learning, and promote organizational health. Her Cultural Brilliance System ™ moves people beyond talking about change into iterative, systemic change implementation.  Instead of experiencing productivity loss, mistrust, and employee disengagement, your company will gain energy from change, and evolve into a new state of inspiration, excellence, and resilience.

Unsuccessful cultural integration is the number two reason for deal failure during an acquisition (Aon Hewitt, 2011).

During a significant change like a merger or acquisition, integrating both cultures is critical for maximizing the value of the new organization. Organizations that thrive in today’s complex environment benefit from dynamic, robust cultures. When surveyed, many CEOs reported that they had no plan in place for integration and even if they did, they wished in hindsight that they’d devoted more time and resources to cultural integration.

Retain and increase the value of your deal by harnessing the strengths, authenticity and emotional energy of both cultures. Discover a three phase process for successfully integrating corporate cultures in a way that eliminate culture clashes and create exceptional business results.

In a robust economy, your most talented employees may be looking for new opportunities outside of your company. People usually leave cultures that don’t value and support them. Now is the time to look at your organizational culture and learn now your employees view and value your company.

Conducting an assessment of your culture is a critical first step when you’re working to improve it.  Learn the keys to understanding what makes your culture tick, how your culture is viewed by employees at every level, and how to initiate change in alignment with your culture.

Many companies know that innovation is key to their survival yet struggle to foster a culture that allows innovation to thrive.  In order to create an innovative culture, leaders need to understand the level of innovation currently operating within their organization. This is because innovative cultures are self-aware cultures. They understand their strengths and drawbacks and consistently challenge their mental models about themselves and their industry.  These cultures understand that innovation itself is change and they embrace this transformation.  Innovative cultures are learning organizations that view creativity and making mistakes as part of the process.