When organisations announce a new strategic direction, formal communications such as town halls, newsletters, and videos are expected. Yet, beyond traditional communication methods, what actions can senior leaders take to demonstrate commitment to new ways of thinking and working?  

The power of symbolic acts 

 ‘Symbolic acts’ are a powerful but often overlooked tool for shifting culture and moving the needle on a new vision or strategy.  

A ‘symbolic act’ is a highly visible action or decision leaders take to role model organisational changes.  

Symbolic acts in action 

What do symbolic acts look like?  

Consider an organisation that is refocusing on customer innovation, intent on being first to market with best-in-class products. Historically innovation has been stifled by red tape and a fear of failure.  

A senior leader could become a role model by regularly sharing personal stories of risk taking and failure, promoting a growth mindset and normalising calculated risk-taking. Alternatively, the leader may choose to speak last in every meeting, encouraging input from employees at more junior levels.  

The symbolic act should resonate with employees and provide a clear signal of a change in direction. Consider Steve Jobs’ decision to discontinue 70% of product lines upon returning as interim CEO of Apple in 1997. This act clearly communicated that Apple would focus on its core offering of personal computers. 

By “walking the talk” and executing symbolic acts that are meaningful and noticeable to employees, leaders demonstrate their commitment to thinking and acting differently. 

Some additional examples include:

Symbolic acts across the organisation 

Symbolic acts aren’t just for senior leaders. It is impactful when middle managers and influential frontline employees adopt symbolic acts.  

Symbolic acts can be individualized or collective. For example, employees could start meetings with a ‘value share’, or an entire leadership team might collectively adopt casual office attire. 

Symbolic acts are an effective way to deepen transformation efforts by positioning leaders to visibly and authentically role model the changes they want to see in the business. By incorporating symbolic acts into engagement strategies, leaders can deepen the impact of transformations. 

Have you employed symbolic acts in organizational changes? Or do you have alternative strategies for effective role modeling and engagement? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section.