Organizations that successfully create high performing, values-aligned cultures share five critical success factors:

1. The senior leadership team must demonstrate commitment to the long-term process. The culture change process must be embraced and championed by the senior leadership team. They will be held to high standards as the values are defined and communicated. Cultural transformation is an ongoing project that will never go away.
   
   
2. Values must be defined in behavioral terms. This is the only approach that makes your desired behaviors observable, tangible, and measurable.
   
   
3. Accountability for delivering promised performance and demonstrating valued behaviors is paramount. Consequences must be swift and consistent. Positive consequences for meeting performance and values expectations must be described and demonstrated, and agreed to. Negative consequences must be applied when performance is below standards or valued behaviors are not demonstrated.
   
   
4. It is vital that all staff are involved in and buy into the culture transformation at every phase. This process is not about “managing by announcements,” where leaders tell everyone what the new expectations are but don’t invite thoughts or hold people—including themselves—consistently accountable. For everyone to embrace the desired culture, they must be included in the process. They must help define and commit to what the new culture will demand of them in their roles.
   
   
5. One step at a time. Find a manageable scope for the change initiative. Don’t try to change the entire organization at once. Start with a distinct part of the organization—a department, division, plant, or regional office—to learn how the process flows. Then, with learnings clearly in mind, select another distinct part of the organization and begin the change process there. Continue until you’ve digested the entire elephant.

Learn more about Blanchard’s Culture Change process.