Culture Can't Change? Don't Tell That to the Ducks
Let’s be honest – some people think trying to change organizational culture is like trying to teach a duck to do calculus. Pointless. Frustrating. Likely to end in feathers.
But here’s the thing – culture isn’t some immovable stone tablet. It’s not “just the way we do things around here.” It’s a living, breathing thing built on behaviours, values, and – crucially – leadership.
That’s what Al Zeitoun and I unpacked in Episode 6 of Project Management Mythbusters - Culture Can’t Change. (Spoiler: it can. And when old habits get in the way, it should.)
Change, culture, and a church
We kicked things off in my Zen garden – aka my backyard – birds tweeting and a centuries-old church behind me. Lovely place for a chat, and also a handy metaphor. That church has been there for 800 years, virtually unchanged. But if your organization clings to its old ways with the same stubborn pride, well… that’s not quaint. It’s dangerous.
Al and I both agreed – when people say “this culture can’t change,” what they often mean is “our leaders won’t change.” When leaders treat every established habit as untouchable, they make it harder for people to respond when circumstances change.
What’s a PMO got to do with it?
Now you might be thinking, “Well, that’s all well and good, Stuart, but I’m running a PMO – not a leadership retreat.” Ah, but here’s where it gets fun. PMOs can help shift day-to-day habits – not with fiery speeches, but with actions, value, and yes, even ducks.
As Al puts it, we need to move from being “human doings” to “human beings.” Stop obsessing over outputs, artifacts, and templates – the dusty currency of PMOs past – and focus on what actually matters: outcomes.
If that idea tickles your fancy, you’ll want to check out our egg-and-duck explainer video: What Executives Really Want from a PMO. Because trust me, they’re not waking up in the middle of the night dreaming of beautifully formatted Gantt charts. They’re dreaming of results. Outcomes. Eggs.
Culture change is about choices
One of my favourite moments in the conversation was when we talked Big Bang Theory. There’s a brilliant scene where a character uses a parenting book to manage Sheldon (who doesn’t like change). She gives him two options – “Shall we go to the shop or the park?” – and he thinks he’s in control. Brilliant.
Funny scene, serious point: people need a real say in how change happens. Give them agency. Invite them in. Make it fun. Build symbols and language they can rally around. Heck, even ducks.
Yes, ducks.
The language of ducks 🦆
At TransparentChoice, we’ve given away thousands of rubber ducks to PMO leaders around the world. Why? Because they’re fun. They’re memorable. And they’re a perfect symbol.
Your job isn’t to make better ducks (processes, tools, templates). Your job is to deliver better eggs (outcomes). And if a yellow duck helps you and your team remember that, great!
At one company, the ducks became such a powerful internal symbol that staff lined them up across cubicles like little PMO mascots. “Are you focused on the egg?” became a team mantra. Ducks became shorthand for misaligned work. A small shift in the conversation, courtesy of a plastic duck.
So what next?
Want to change culture? Lead by example. Speak the language of outcomes. Use tools and storytelling that resonate with your stakeholders.
Here are a few places to start:
- Watch the Ducks & Eggs video (it’s got ducks!): What Executives Really Want from a PMO
- If your PMO needs a stronger case for changing how it works, explore the free, one-hour Case for Change workshop with me, focused on challenges to PMO effectiveness and strategic alignment.
- Read Al Zeitoun's latest book: Creating Experience-Driven Organizational Culture: How to Drive Transformative Change with Project and Portfolio Management
- Learn how to focus on strategy delivery with Laura Barnard's book: The IMPACT Engine: Accelerating Strategy Delivery for PMO and Transformation Leaders
- And if you want to join a global community of PMO leaders focused on transformation, join the PMO Global Alliance (PMOGA) at the PMI.
Change doesn’t have to be dry or corporate. It can be funny. It can be empowering. And with a little help from some plastic poultry, it can actually stick.