Culture and Systems - Who Comes First?

Every organisation has a unique way of working - perhaps it reflects the way its people think ( or believe). Over the years these practices solidify with time and become part of the organizational fabric. These time-tested methods of working are followed with a vengeance, with most of them believing that this is the Best way to get things done.

You might be wondering the reason for this prelude. Well, let me explain.

A top executive of a five decade old services company, in an interview confided on how he had miserably failed to run one of his pet initiatives across the company. Though the initiative would have brought many good things to the organisation, most people within his rank detested the need for any such change.

In the absence of any significant support from his own colleagues, the initiative ultimately hit a roadblock and is now cooling its heels in the cold storage.

So, was the Executive wrong in trying to bring such dramatic changes to his company's way of working? Or was it merely a result of poor planning and execution? Or was there a deeper and unseen reason for such protests?