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Leading the Way:
A Culture Change Journey at Western Sydney University
Industry: Education
Western Sydney University is a thriving institution comprising 13 campuses across Sydney. WSU educates and empowers over 60,000 students, offering a diverse range of programs taught by over 1,500 dedicated faculty members.
Results
0
new, clearly-defined values to drive organisational alignment and behaviour
0%
increase in ability to effectively give and receive feedback
0%
increase in leaders’ capability to navigate their team through change
Due to The Culture Equation’s Greater Collective leadership program, WSU Student Experience & Marketing (SEM) department successfully transitioned from the traditional, hierarchical, risk-averse, and isolated culture into one that is dynamic, collaborative, and student-centric.
This transformation ultimately led to a high-performance, innovative, and student-centred culture that has become a hallmark of their operations, resulting in being awarded the highly-coveted Brandon Hall Award in Talent Management.
The Challenge
The SEM team faced a multitude of cultural challenges, stemming from a deeply entrenched poor performance culture and two contrasting departmental cultures ; institutional versus customer-centric.
Further, a core challenge arose in the initial reluctance from the wider University community to embrace SEM’s culture transformation, bolstering resistance to meaningful and lasting cultural change.
The Opportunity
SEM presented a crucial opportunity, with the potential to drive change not only within their team but also across the entire University. We realised the chance for SEM to serve as a catalyst for broader cultural change, fostering a progressive and innovative subculture that could influence positive transformations throughout the institution.
What we did
Built a World Class Leadership Team
Conducted a leadership program which prioritised team alignment, data analysis, psychological safety, and skill development.
1
Defined Values
Designed Values and Purpose that aligned with SEM’s vision, defined through a unified communication plan, and team involvement in defining and integrating values into the employee lifecycle.
2
Drove Accountability
An Upward Feedback Survey identified high-performing managers for peer training and supported struggling ones, fostering leadership development and open discussions.
3
Embedded Day-to-Day Culture Initiatives
Co-creating SEM traditions such as "Mega Zooms," coaching, and peer-led efforts by ‘Culture Change Champions’.
4
Highlights
Witnessing pre-existing biases and assumptions dissipate during team-building leadership programs, resulting in greater psychological safety and team cohesion.
Co-developing a unified communication plan, so that leaders embedded values with one harmonious voice.
Two-day leadership retreat, allowing leaders to better understand themselves and their leadership style through engaging, fun and unconventional sessions.
According to the team, ground staff have demonstrated a new thirst for learning, ownership and buy-in. There has been a greater sense of being a “team”, with a focus on helping out peers, and a culture of care and support for students.
“The result has been cultural change at many levels, resulting in a more collaborative, dynamic and engaged workforce. Improved employee empowerment, development and satisfaction is enabling greater innovation and improved student experience outcomes; the ultimate test of our cultural success.”