Transformational Culture: Develop a People-Centred Organization for Improved Performance

"Transformational Culture - Develop a people-centred organisation for improved performance" may prove to be the most important HR textbook written in the past few decades.David Liddle posits that how we resolve conflict and underperformance at work is wrong and worse, very damaging. Dated mechanisms including grievance and disciplinary procedures do little to remedy toxic working environments and broken relationships and often exacerbate them. Better instead, he argues, to use a Resolution Framework with a heavy focus on mediation, coaching and mentoring and facilitated conversations. Formal resolution procedures remain available for serious cases but are kept firmly in the background.My worry is that until there are important changes to employment law the aspirations so clearly and cogently set out in this book will remain just that : aspirations - at least for the majority of large employers. With such short time limits for legal action following a workplace incident (in general six months in Ireland and three in the UK) parties are unlikely to be allowed the time and space they need to resolve a dispute before a lawyer intervenes with legal proceedings. When they do, because late amendments to legal complaints face stern judicial disapproval, the proceedings are almost always issued “front loaded” covering every possible action that the claimant lawyer thinks might have any relevance to the situation. It’s the equivalent of lobbing a hand grenade at the parties as they sit around the table ready to mediate. A person’s conduct under review might stomach accusations of breach of contract or procedural unfair dismissal but accusations of race and sex discrimination are likely to do nothing except send parties to their respective corners and come out with as much compassion, empathy and sense of conciliation as you would expect from a champion cage fighter.Maybe in a former life David Liddle was something of a prize fighter himself because he pulls no punches in this book. He clearly identifies what is broken and gives clear evidence in support. But this is far more than just a good rant and swipe at HR. At every stage he offers alternatives which are well reasoned and researched.As he states towards the end of the book .."if HR can grasp this opportunity to transform itself, this could represent a watershed moment. With courage, energy, tenacity and perseverance, this could become a moment where the new people and culture function becomes one of the most strategically important functions in the modern organisation”Set out below are some of the most important statements he makes in the book together with various nuggets of wisdom that I am currently reflecting on.# “The overarching purpose of transformational culture is for leaders, managers, human resources (HR), trade union officials and others to create the conditions for their employees to reveal the most brilliant version of themselves.” (p.4)# HR must transform itself into an overarching people and culture function and it should act now to release itself from the burden of its perceived proximity to management (p.18)# His observation that effective leaders are multipliers -someone who looks beyond their own genius and focusses their energy on extracting and extending the genius of others”. (Wiseman and McKeown) (p.15)# Retributive justice processes are concerned about risk mitigation, blame and punishment (p17) and later states “The needs of human beings are conveniently pushed aside in favour of reducing the risk of an adverse outcome in any future litigation around them. (p.29)# Control leads to compliance; autonomy leads to engagement (Pink, 2009) (p.62)# Organisations should exist to meet three purposes :1 The provision of useful and worthwhile goods and services – things that stand to enhance the wellbeing of people and planet now and in the future;2. They should provide meaningful and fulfilling ways for the workers to spend their days;3. They need to contribute to the appropriate distribution of wealth such that all people have the resources they need to have quality in their livesMike Berners-Lee (p.66)# “None of us is as smart as all of us” (Blanchard and Bowles, 2000) (p.83)# The person is not the problem. The problem is the problem.(p.84)# Evidence based practice is about making better decisions, informing action that has the desired impact. An evidence-based approach to decision making is based on a combination of using critical thinking and the best available evidence. (p.60)# “People who find meaning in their work don’t hoard their energy and dedication. They give them freely, defying conventional economic assumptions about self interest. They do more and they do it better. (Quinn and Thankor, 2018) (p.84)# Each iteration of these policies is designed to deliver one primary objective : protect the company from an adverse tribunal ruling (p.96)# The design of a single, fully integrated and legally compliant framework which spans the areas of concerns (performance), conduct (discipline), complaints (grievances) and conflict (disputes) (p.99)# Gibbons Review “Fundamentally, what is needed is a culture change, so that the parties to employment disputes think in terms of finding ways to achieve an early outcome that works for them, rather than in terms of fighting their case at a tribunal (Gibbons, 2007) (p.110)# The toxic culture is diametrically opposed to a transformational culture. Prior to and through Covid-19, movements such as Black Lives Matter, #MeToo and others have shone a light on the toxic behaviours and toxic cultures. This is a zeitgeist moment: the tectonic plates of our society and our organisations are shifting. This is a moment of great societal change. Individuals and communities, who have for so long been disempowered and disenfranchised are standing up as one to the toxic behaviours and toxic cultures which have shackled them for so long and in so many ways have destroyed lives (p.134)# I have observed that the most inspirational leaders, the most creative teams and the highest performing employees have all had something in common. They have all felt a deep alignment to the purpose of their organisation. They share a common purpose which drives their passion and their pride (p.137)# I would go as far as to say that a focus on people and culture could mark a renaissance for the Human Resources profession and everyone involved in or with HR (p.140)# Acting as the golden thread of our organisations and delivering a wonderful, modern form of alchemy, values must underpin and inform everything our organisations do, from recruiting, selecting and inducting new employees to the way that we handle an employee’s exit from the organisation. (p.152)# Therein lies the HR paradox. On the one hand HR and is associated rules and processes, is seen to be complicit in the devastation of people’s lives and the destruction of relationships at work (p.156)# The new people and culture function should operate around four broad pillars :1. People2. Culture3. Justice4.Strategy (p.158)# The term “business partner” which reinforces the perceived alignment of HR with management should be dropped from the HR lexicon (p.160)# “..if HR can grasp this opportunity to transform itself, this could represent a watershed moment. With courage, energy, tenacity and perseverance, this could become a moment where the new people and culture function becomes one of the most strategically important functions in the modern organisation” (p.167)# “Everyone thinks they know what leadership means until, that it, they have to do it themselves”. (p.168)True leadership comes from being the best version of ourselves, during the good times and the bad. Great leaders recognise, amplify and celebrate the inner brilliance of others” (p.169)# …The culture of the organisation is the aggregation of the purpose, shared assumptions, rules, processes, written or unwritten values, behaviours and experiences across the workplace” (p.170)# Three interactions people value about leaders and their managers :1. They use coaching skills every day2. They do not rush to judge3. They like a bit of fun (p.172)# Three reactions people value about their leaders and managers1. They respond calmly when attacked and they are not defensive2. They are assertive and they present their feelings and their points of view robustly and clearly3. They always seek a win/win outcome (p.174)# Faced with any risk or dilemma, leaders should ask themselves the questions “What would I do if I was not afraid?. It is surprising how often the outcome can be beneficial. (p.192)# The idea is that we do not need to see far into the future, just far enough to achieve a competitive advantage (p.192)# Leadership requires us to apply hindsight with clarity; insight with ingenuity and foresight with audacity. No wonder great leadership is so hard” (p.193)# Our leaders and managers do not need to be perfect; they just need to be able to handle the human beings in their organisation like human beings. These are not human resources they are people with all the wonderful uniqueness that males people so special and brilliant. (p193)# The Employee Experience Equation :# W+E+I ÷3p (policies, processes and procedures) x 4H (happy, healthy, harmonious and high performance) = EX (employee experience) (p.202)# I propose that the areas of wellbeing, engagement and inclusion are aligned as a single discipline and that they become a core strategic priority within the people and culture plan (p.214)

I devoured 'Transformational Culture' in one sitting on a quiet Saturday morning, curled up on my sofa with a cup of coffee. After I finished reading, I continued to sit and allow my thoughts, feelings and reflections room to percolate. The book created some conflicting feelings - sadness sat alongside hope, anger alongside excitement. I thought about my own experiences at work over my career, and how the cultures at different organisations had impacted, shaped and influenced me, not just as an employee, but as a human being.David Liddle writes with passion, knowledge, empathy and courage. He outlines the Transformational Culture model clearly, and then carefully and thoroughly presents us with evidence-based detail around how organisations can start to bring it to life. He unpacks each of the Enabler's of the model and presents compelling arguments and case studies using his many years of experience of helping and supporting organisations in areas such as Resolution and Restorative Justice.This book is a blueprint for radical, tangible and long overdue organisational culture change. I genuinely hope that it reaches the desks of every workplace leader and I am excited for those who are willing to really lean in, pull up what currently exists by the very roots, and put their people, their values and their purpose at the centre of everything they do. They are the Leaders who will bring this book to life for us all.

If you're not sure then read Transformational Culture and let that help you to decide whether that will improve your organization's employee experience and positively influence customer experience. David is bold, forward looking and unafraid to call the norms and long standing practices into question. This book offers a range of solutions and simple diagrammatic frameworks that offer ideas to revitalize the culture of your organization. The ideas and tools may be simple but they are not easy. Engaging with fundamentals, such as feeding forward rather than feeding back, investing in people through coaching and mentoring activity and ridding your organization of what David labels the GBH policies (grievance, bullying and harassment) and replacing them with a resolution framework. All written in an engaging and easy to read style with plenty of heart as well as research. I recommend this book to all leaders and HR workers.

Easy read with clear guidelines and advice on how to implement a truly empowering and high performing cultural change

Being a HR Professional who is very passionate and interested in people and culture I just had to read this. WOW just wow, if you are in HR I urge you to pick up this book and dive in. David has dedicated his time and energy and passion into restorative justice and his experience shines through and inspires. I have always liked to challenge the status quo but this has fired me up on a whole new level. Our workplaces need this, our people need this. The book is full of case studies, experience and tools to support your own transformational culture journey. Thank you

I picked up this book and from page one I was hooked. Finally a book about culture which just shouts out common sense and practical application. I loved this book so much that I’ve bought copies for members of my team and told them this is what we are going to implement in 2022 - transformation of our culture and HR processes.I highly recommend everyone who manages people read this book and seeks to start applying the principles - I can’t recommend it enough.

This book provides a comprehensive guide on navigating the essential elements of organisational change. If you're seeking to grasp the dynamics of organisational cultural transformation and the necessary steps to achieve it, David's book offers detailed insights on integrating transformative culture across the entire organisation.

Liddell again offers a disruptive way forward. His first book opened the door marginally, this effort kicks it wide open. The cost of conflict (negative) has perhaps never been higher; the utility of this work offers an opportunity, to those willing to undergo a transformation, to mitigate & to move from cost to benefit. If not now - then when? If not us - then who?

How do you create a work culture where all people are treated with dignity and respect? Where people are empowered to be brilliant and consequently everyone wins? Read this book and then act to make it happen.