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external partners, and investors.
Together they defi ned and distilled
the purpose of the company, paring
it down to four simple words that
center on the patient: “Good health
can’t wait.”
Instead of plastering this new
slogan on motivational posters
and repeating it in all-hands
meetings, the leadership team
began by quietly using it to start
guiding their own decisions. The
goal was to demonstrate the idea in
action, and in mere words. Projects
were selected across channels
to highlight agility, innovation,
and customer centricity. Product
packaging was redesigned to be
more user-friendly and increase
adherence. The role of sales
representatives in Russia was
recast to act as knowledge hubs for
physicians, since better physicians
lead to healthier patients. A
comprehensive internal data
platform was developed to help Dr.
Reddy’s employees to be proactive
with their customer requests and
solve any problems in an agile way.
At this point, it was time to share
the stated purpose more broadly —
fi rst, internally with all employees
and then, externally with the world.
At the internal launch event, Dr.
Reddy’s employees learned about
their purpose and were invited to be
part of it realisation. Everyone was
asked to make a personal promise
about how they, in their current role,
would contribute to the idea of ‘good
health can’t wait.’ The following day
Dr. Reddy’s unveiled a new brand
identity and website that publicly
stated its purpose. Soon thereafter,
the company established two new
‘innovation studios’ in Hyderabad
and Mumbai to offer additional
structural support to creativity
within the company.
Mr. Prasad saw a change in
the company culture right away,
“After we introduced the idea of
‘good health can’t wait’, one of
the scientists said he developed a
product in 15 days and broke every
rule there was in the company. He
was proudly stating that! Normally,
just getting the raw materials would
take him months, not to mention the
rest of the process. However, he was
acting on that urgency. Now, he is
taking this lesson of being lean and
applying it to all our procedures.”
scale once this group successfully
co-opts existing networks and
infl uencers. Eventually, in successful
movements, leaders leverage
their momentum and infl uence to
institutionalise the change in the
formal power structures and rules
of society.
Practices for Leading a
Cultural Movement
Leaders should not be too quick
or simplistic in their translation
of social movement dynamics into
change management plans. That
said, leaders can learn a lot from
the practices of skillful movement
makers.
Frame the Issue
What Does a Movement Look
Like?
We often think of movements
as starting with a call to action.
However, research suggests that
they actually start with emotion —
a diffuse dissatisfaction with the
status quo and a broad sense that
the current institutions and power
structures of the society will not
address the problem. This brewing
discontent turns into a movement
when a voice arises that provides a
positive vision and a path forward
that is within the power of the
crowd.
What’s more, social movements
typically start small. They begin
with a group of passionate
enthusiasts who deliver a few
modest wins. While these wins
are small, they are powerful in
demonstrating effi cacy to non-
participants, and they help
the movement gain steam. The
movement really gathers force and
Framing can also apply social
pressure to conform. For example,
“Second-hand smoking kills. So,
shame on you for smoking around
others.”
In terms of organisational
culture change, simply explaining
the need for change won’t cut it.
Creating a sense of urgency is
helpful, but can be short-lived.
To harness people’s full, lasting
commitment, they must feel a deep
desire, and even responsibility,
to change. A leader can do this
by framing change within the
organisation’s purpose — the
‘why we exist’ question. A good
organisational purpose calls for
the pursuit of greatness in service
of others. It asks employees to be
driven by more than personal gain.
It gives meaning to work, conjures
individual emotion, and incites
collective action. Mr. Prasad framed
Dr. Reddy’s transformation as the
pursuit of ‘good health can’t wait.’
Vol. 9 Issue 6 • Sep-Oct 2018, Noida / Pre-Event Edition |
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