How To Use Presentations As A Tool To Change Internal Culture

Have you conducted a culture assessment in your organisation? How would you rate the morale and the current attitudes of your workforce? Do you feel as though your teams are living your company values and aligned with its goals? As leaders we are all aware of the importance of a healthy and thriving company culture, so it is no surprise that analysing the inner workings of your culture can be a daunting process.

Work culture is intangible and difficult to measure. A toxic culture cannot be solved with high NPS scores or remuneration. A heathy culture will be the thing that binds your team together in a crisis, and lead to higher retention rates. Culture will be the thing that determines whether your company is a workplace of choice, or a place to avoid.

So, what can we do to change the internal culture if you do find there is room for improvement? Like most things in life, the key is communication. From the get-go, if you take your team along the journey and make them a part of the change process, you will have a greater chance at a successful shift towards a healthy and more sustainable company culture.

A clear and defined presentation is your secret weapon when it comes to communicating to your staff. Here are my tips on delivering a presentation
that will hit the high notes and redefine your culture club:

1. Design your story

As mentioned, your presentation should take your audience on a journey, but it is up to you to design what that looks like. The most effective way to create a persuasive presentation is to make it meaningful for your audience and the same applies when the message is internal. Designing your story map should follow a simple ‘beginning, middle and end’ structure, considering how you want them to feel during and after the presentation. This will ultimately lead to greater buyin.

2. Define your values

Your company values, behaviours and goals are more than words on a page. They should resonate with each and every member of staff. You may not need to change what these are, but you should be able to define what each of them mean and more importantly why they have been selected to represent the personality and direction of your organisation. Your values, behaviours and goals should be the foundation of your presentation the key message and takeaway for your audience to remember.

3. Make it personal

There is no denying the fact we spend a lot of time at work, which is why a toxic culture can spell disaster if not addressed. Yet, culture problems can stem from something as simple as individuals not knowing how they fit into the organisational ecosystem.

Staff may understand their role from an ‘output’ sense, however, may not be aware of their power to influence others. The best way to combat this is to address what company culture means to you.
As a leader, if we want to communicate the importance of culture, we need to speak personally about why it matters.

4. Make it count

When it comes to company culture, everyone is accountable. As much as it is your role to steer the ship, ultimately a change in culture will need to be a collective effort. The beauty of this, is that everyone will benefit from this positive environment, so it is important to outline the role that everyone must play in its execution. In your presentation, paint a picture of the future. This ‘nirvana’ moment in your presentation should be the tipping point when your audience accepts your point of view by easily identifying how this shift will positively impact them and their working life.

5. Put it into practice

In every persuasive presentation there is a call to action. The moment where you motivate your audience to put your plan into motion. Providing clear and easy steps for your team to follow, will enable them to take ownership, work collaboratively and support each other to achieve the desired outcome. Outline your roadmap to change, with achievable milestones. Leave your audience feeling empowered and pivotal to the change and ensure you invite any questions / input into the process moving forward.

By presenting to your team the positive impact of a healthy internal culture, you have a greater chance of changing the overall attitude and energy of your workforce. Retention will improve, productivity will be higher and most importantly your employees will be happier.

Republished from the International Institute of Directors and Managers (IIDM) – www.iidm.com

Proteus Leadership is one of Australia’s premier leadership training and development companies. Proteus Leadership provides leadership courses and management training to a range of industries and assists organisations to build positive workplace cultures, implement change and Create Great Leaders. Proteus also facilitates a range of world-class management courses, workshops, conferences and events across Australia and beyond with the sole purpose of bringing leaders together to connect and grow.

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