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Seminar discusses effective culture change

Ben Bryant, from London Business School, will discuss how leaders' actions can make or break effective cultural change later today at HRD 2006, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development's (CIPD) annual learning and development conference and exhibition.

Bryant, a Fellow at the Centre for Management Development at London Business School, said: "Some leaders get sucked into reinforcing the predictability of the work environment.

"Human resource development (HRD) professionals play a critical role in helping leaders to create an environment where it's OK to question and challenge - this is what really brings about significant culture change.

"HRD professionals need to act as change agents, challenging the businesses leaders to be more aware of the impact of their actions on the desired culture change.

"All too often leaders and HRD professionals believe the answer lies in formal culture change programmes, but our research shows that leaders who are more aware of the impact of their unconscious, day to day behaviours and actions can challenge the status quo and actually make culture change happen."

HRD professionals can also help shape culture change through facilitating so called 'cultural conversations', according to Bryant: "Rather than focussing on communicating an inspirational vision for culture change, HRD professionals need to encourage interactive conversations that move the organisation towards its desired culture. This is a risky approach, but it's the only way to achieve real culture change.

"HRD professionals have a critical role to play in developing the awareness and skills of leaders who shape culture change - they must become the activists. They need to be skilful at challenging senior managers, and they need to be comfortable with the risks of letting the change process enter uncharted waters."

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