From failure to reorganisation and cultural reset

A Local government reform perspective: creating a cohesive culture

This phase focused on moving from organisational failure to a deliberate cultural reset, where leadership alignment, clear identity, and consistent behaviours became the foundation for change. Anna emphasised that culture must be actively designed, measured, and modelled to support successful reorganisation.

When moving into the new unitary structures, what were the non-negotiables you wanted to carry forward or deliberately leave behind?

• Anna focused on establishing a cohesive leadership team aligned with the organisation’s objectives. This meant creating a shared understanding of priorities, consistent ways of working, and collective accountability at the top of the organisation.

• She deliberately left behind legacy behaviours, top-down thinking, and siloed working. There was a conscious effort to break from past norms, ensuring that old habits did not re-emerge in the new structure.

How did you define culture in a way that was actionable rather than abstract?

• Culture was made tangible through the introduction of a new organisational brand and the removal of legacy labels (e.g., office names). This helped signal a clear break from the past and reinforced the identity of a single, unified organisation.

• Dynamic feedback boards and company-wide surveys helped measure understanding and alignment with the vision. These tools translated culture into something measurable, enabling leaders to track whether behaviours and attitudes were shifting in practice.

What tools or signals did you use to diagnose the existing culture?

• Surveys, informal feedback, and leadership observation helped identify areas of disconnect and resistance. This combination of formal and informal insight allowed for a more nuanced understanding of how culture was experienced at different levels of the organisation.

Cultural redesign in practice

• Leadership modelling was central. Anna ensured senior leaders demonstrated the behaviours expected of the organisation. This visible consistency helped set expectations and signalled that cultural change was not optional but integral to performance.

• Language, symbols, and early decisions set the tone and reinforced desired cultural norms. From how leaders communicated to the decisions they prioritised, every action was used deliberately to reinforce the new culture.

Integration across organisations

• Merging organisations required attention to emotional as well as structural integration. Recognising the sense of loss and identity tied to legacy organisations was key to bringing people with the change.

• Resistance often came from councillors and members rather than staff. This reflected differing perspectives on change, with some stakeholders more closely tied to previous structures and ways of working.

• Anna proactively addressed “us versus them” dynamics and maintained transparency, including admitting what she did not yet know, which built trust. This openness helped reduce uncertainty and created a more honest relationship across the organisation.

Where did you encounter the strongest resistance, and what sat behind it?

• Strongest resistance emerged from members who were attached to legacy structures. Anna’s approach emphasised open communication and staff engagement to overcome this. By focusing on clarity, consistency, and inclusion, she was able to gradually shift perspectives and build broader support for the new organisation.