Professional Documents
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Culture Change Through Leadership: Amanda Singleton Group Executive: Corporate Communication Telkom
Culture Change Through Leadership: Amanda Singleton Group Executive: Corporate Communication Telkom
leadership
Amanda Singleton
Group Executive: Corporate Communication
Telkom
Challenges facing SA leaders
• Culture is important:
– because it powerfully influences the behaviour of employees
Group Interaction
Positive Results
Norms of Behaviour
Shared Values
CULTURE
o be have al
t
lt ur e” (How
“Cu
“As is”
(to be)
“Vision”
Current situation
“Strat
egy” (
What
d o we
nee d
to foc
us on)
A Telkom example
• Vision:
– To be a world-class communication company
• Strategic Goal:
– To invest in our employees
• Value:
– We value our people and their diversity
• Behaviour needed:
– No stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination in the workplace
– Fair recruitment, an appreciation for the EE imperative
– Making full use of the skills of all employees
– Open communication on development needs
– Regular discussions on performance and improvement areas
– Coaching, mentoring and personal development
– Creation of opportunities for personal growth
– Retention of critical skills
Changing corporate culture
1. Conceptual Leadership
• Chief sense makers for the organisation
– Providing insights about the business and markets
• The ability to provide direction – defining a vision
• The ability to bring vision to reality
– Creating strategy to close the gap between vision and current reality
• The skill to reconnect organisational life with organisational
purpose
– “Where are we going and why”;
– “What is our company’s role in society”;
– “What is the context and meaning of this change in strategic
direction”
2. Personal Commitment
• Leadership is in the first place, PERSONAL
• Leadership is about truly living the company’s values
• Leadership is setting an example, being a role model
• Leadership is consistency between what is SAID and DONE.
3. Communication
• Effective communication is the oxygen for new-breed leadership
• Communication is not one-directional
– Engage strategically
– Listen hard
– Create an environment that allows candid feedback/ criticism
• Communication needs to be regular
– In good times and bad
– Never skip scheduled engagements
• Communication has to be open and honest
– Own up: take personal responsibility for hard decisions
– Resist the urge to spin – it always backfires