- There is confusion about how to translate culture from an abstract concept to something that is measurable, actionable, and process driven.
- Organizations lack clarity about who is accountable and responsible for culture, with groups often pointing fingers at each other.
Our Advice
Critical Insight
Impact and Result
- Executives need to clarify how the culture they want will help achieve their strategy and agree on the focus values that will have the maximum impact.
- HR needs to measure the current state of culture and facilitate the process of leveraging existing elements while shifting undesirable ones.
Culture as a Competitive Advantage

This program has been approved for 1 to 1.5 continuing professional development (CPD) hours under Section A of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Log of the Human Resource Professionals Association (HRPA).

McLean & Company is recognized by SHRM and can award Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for the SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP®.

HR Certification Institute’s® official seal confirms that McLean & Company meets the criteria for pre-approved recertification credit(s) for any of HRCI’s eight credentials, including SPHR® and PHR®.
How to complete this course:
Use these videos, along with the Project Blueprint deck above, to gain an understanding of the subject. Start with the Introduction, then move through each of the Course Modules. At the end of each Module, you will be required to complete a short test to demonstrate your understanding. You will complete this course when you have completed all of the course tests.
- Number of Course Modules: 5
- Estimated Completion Time: 1.5 hours
Learning Outcome
Lead the organization through a process that will drive culture as a competitive advantage by understanding the lived experience and identifying focus values for the organization.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:
- Identify organizational focus values, and determine the current state of the organization's culture.
- Select ideal behaviors, and provide executives with tools to drive change.
- Prioritize HR processes that will impact culture.
- Monitor culture, and work with business leaders to maintain it.
Course Modules

Introduction

Module 1

Module 2

Module 3

Module 4
Workshop: Articulate and Foster Organizational Culture
Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.
Module 1: Work With Executive Team to Define Focus Values
The Purpose
- Describe the desired future state and anticipate challenges in changing culture.
- Review feedback on current culture and develop the action plan to shift to desired state.
Key Benefits Achieved
- McLean & Company's model for articulating and fostering organizational culture is used to align strategy and values with actioned behaviors.
- Current state is evaluated and desired state is described with specific focus values.
- Project goals, timeline, and resources are determined.
Activities
Outputs
Hold kick-off meeting.
- Culture Documentation Template
Hold action meeting.
- Cultural Assessment Report Template
Module 2: Work With Executive Team to Review Behaviors
The Purpose
- Provide executives with an awareness of perceptions of their observed behaviors.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Support the desired cultural shift through modeled behaviors from senior leaders.
Activities
Outputs
Review leader behaviors.
- Executive Reflection Template
Module 3: Review HR Programs
The Purpose
- Guide HR through a prioritized action plan with assigned accountability.
- Evaluate current core competencies to determine applicability with revived culture focus values.
Key Benefits Achieved
- HR’s action plan is outlined.
- Competencies are aligned with culture.
Activities
Outputs
Create an HR action plan.
- HR Culture Playbook
Review core competencies.
- Organizational core competencies evaluated for focus value alignment
Develop the HR communication plan.
- Internal communications planned
Module 4: Prepare to Disseminate and Manage Culture
The Purpose
- Outline internal communications to gain greater buy-in.
- Encourage desired behaviors with first-wave program group.
- Prepare to cascade facilitation of desired behaviors throughout the organization.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Communications plan is determined.
- Behaviors displaying focus values are reinforced.
- Culture Facilitation Guide is tailored to the needs of leaders throughout the process.
Activities
Outputs
Outline recognition program for early adopters.
- Method outlined to positively reinforce desired behaviors
Customize the Culture Facilitation Guide for Leaders.
- Culture Facilitation Guide for Leaders