When business leaders talk about change, they usually have a desired result in mind: better team performance, improved customer service, etc. This result can only be achieved when people throughout the organization change their behavior and practices, something that can’t happen by simple decree.
"That’s the way we do things around here." This phrase (and others like it) typically refers to the complex, subtle practices that become ingrained in an organization's culture, to the point where they become part of its identity. Habitual thoughts and behaviors are not bad in themselves; indeed, they are often the basis for what a company does well. But when circumstances shift or the company becomes dysfunctional, those habits may need substantive change.
New behaviors can be put in place, but only by reframing attitudes that are firmly entrenched. With a little knowledge of neuroscience, reframing behavior can be the essence of organizational change.
