Meaning ● Cultural shaping strategy, within the SMB context, denotes a deliberate approach to influencing and adjusting organizational norms, values, and beliefs to better facilitate growth, automation initiatives, and the successful implementation of new technologies or processes. Specifically, it requires SMB leadership to proactively manage the collective mindset to achieve operational efficiencies. ● In practice, it involves establishing clear communication channels to explain the ‘why’ behind changes; this increases staff acceptance and buy-in for automated systems, ensuring smooth transitions. Cultural shaping should not be viewed as a one-time action, but rather, it’s a continuous process requiring ongoing measurement and adaption, to ensure it aligns with changing business objectives and market dynamics, thereby allowing SMBs to leverage automation to its maximum. ● For example, incentivizing employee adoption of new software through performance metrics linked to system proficiency exemplifies cultural modification aimed at automation; SMBs must address employee skill gaps to ensure a company-wide technological evolution, reducing fear of job replacement. Furthermore, an SMB may utilize regular feedback sessions to gather input on automation efforts, this promoting an atmosphere of inclusion.
