WILMINGTON, N.C.—Reimagining the culture of an electric cooperative, or any long-standing entity, is a daunting task. But in times of great change, it can be a necessity.

It's a job that requires hard work, honesty and a plan.

That's the message delivered by Scott Thomas, vice president of corporate services at Brunswick Electric, at the 22nd annual Cooperative Technologies Conference and Expo presented by North Carolina's Electric Cooperatives.

“Be very honest about where your current culture is and where you want to be," he said. “Diagnose, brainstorm and change."

Thomas spoke from recent experience.

After a thorough organizational analysis several years ago, Supply-based Brunswick Electric undertook “painstaking work" that has earned the co-op a spot among the state's best employers for the past two years by Business North Carolina Magazine.

“Having a great organizational culture dictates everything your co-op does, how individuals in your organization communicate, collaborate and handle challenges," he said. “We want to be viewed as trustworthy to employees and our members."

Thomas suggests co-ops begin any “cultural renovation" by looking at their mission statement and policies and assessing how they play with their employees and members.

Other steps include:

• Updating the employee handbook to foster trust and make it a “living document" to keep pace with cultural changes.

• Elevating communication and transparency with an employee newsletter and brownbag lunches with staff and senior management, among other things.

• Encouraging employee engagement with events like blood drives, community cleanups or an ice cream truck in the parking lot.

• Emphasizing cultural fit when hiring by posting every job, even if there is a likely internal candidate.

• Providing continuous feedback to employees and offering opportunities for salary increases based on performance.

“At Brunswick, we can see the cultural impact of all these things, and they're positive," Thomas said.

But change is hard, and employees may not easily adapt. That's where having a change management strategy and model helps, said Delaine Orendorff, NRECA director of human capital planning and compensation, at another conference session.

“There's always challenges with change, because you're dealing with human behavior," she said. “If you use a formal change management process and include certain steps—the why, where, who, what and how—you are more likely to get smooth sailing rather than stormy seas."

Change leaders, she said, should start by communicating why a particular change is necessary. Provide the vision for where the co-op or the specific initiative is headed, a detailed project management plan for the change, communication around the impact on people and WIIFM (what's in it for them). Ensure you identify who will be responsible at each step, and how the change will be reinforced.

“Include people," Orendorff said. “I can't emphasize that enough. At all levels. It is much easier to gain acceptance if people have input to the change. Inform the board about change initiatives and how they might support the overall effort and help it be successful."

She said research shows that around 30% of the population tend to be “change resistant," 20% are “change friendly," and the other 50% are “wait and see." To that end, she recommended that co-op leaders focus on the 70% in your change efforts. Invite the 20% that are open to change to help you, especially if they have a lot of influence with their peers.

“As change leaders, a mistake we tend to make is spending a lot of time and effort on resisters. In reality, some will never get on board," she said. “Focus on those you can positively influence."