Change cannot begin without faith – and it cannot end without responsibility

Transforming a company is never an easy task. It requires courage, commitment and the willingness to challenge the structures that are familiar. But the foundation of all change is that leaders believe in it. The ADKAR model – a proven tool for change management – also shows that the belief and commitment of leaders is a prerequisite for successful change.

Leaders play a key role: they are the ones who set the direction, inspire and coordinate. But the story cannot stop there. It is not enough for leaders to believe in change – everyone in the organisation, regardless of position, must understand and support it. Because change is not a one-way street, it is a shared responsibility.

Why is “leadership culture” not enough?

We often hear that an organisation’s problems can be solved by a stronger “leadership culture”. I don’t think this is true per se. In my experience, the root of the problems lies in the following factors:

• Silo mindset: departments do not work together, information does not flow efficiently.
• Communication gaps: processes and responsibilities are not clearly defined.
• Missing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): without clear measurement points, people do not know what they are measuring and how.
• Chaotic structures: daily or weekly meetings are disorganised and accountability is blurred.

The cultural transformation of a company cannot be achieved if these systemic problems are ignored. Real change requires a Performance Control System(PCS) that combines soft skills (communication, collaboration) and hard skills (structure, metrics).

The key: shared responsibility and cooperation

The essential elements of an effective performance management system:

1. Transparency: everyone knows their role and responsibilities.
2. Collaboration: departments and employees work together to achieve goals.
3. Measurement and feedback: KPIs are not only a guide, but also an opportunity for learning and improvement.

Let’s illustrate this with an example:
A worker on a production line notices (?) that the quality of the products is deteriorating. In a badly structured company, they usually passively wait for feedback from quality control or simply blame the other department. In a well-functioning organisation, on the other hand, the employee is actively involved in solving the problem: finding the causes, suggesting improvements and working with other departments to find a solution.

Beyond “leadership culture”: the role of organisational culture

The goal is not to make everyone a leader, but to make everyone take responsibility for their own tasks and KPIs. If this attitude were to dominate at all levels of a company, change would not just be a matter of “leadership culture”, but would be the result of a strong, effective organisational culture.

Summary: change is a team effort

A company can change its culture if it tackles problems systemically.This requires not only the belief and leadership by example, but also shared responsibility at all levels.

The future is not just about leadership, but also about community.

What do you think about this? Tell us in the comments what you think is the key to a successful transformation! 😊

Attila Jezsó

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