Culture Change Starts with Seeing Differently

Marcel Proust once wrote, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” When it comes to culture change, this couldn’t be more true. Transformation isn’t just about new strategies or systems, it’s about shifting perspectives.

Mindsets Shape Reality

Our mindsets act as invisible filters, shaped by past experiences and beliefs. They help us make quick decisions, but they also lock us into familiar ways of thinking. When we rely too heavily on past interpretations, we start to superimpose old assumptions onto new situations, seeing what we expect, rather than what’s actually there.

This is why culture change often stalls. Leaders and teams who don’t challenge their own thinking struggle to adapt, missing opportunities for growth and innovation.

We Create What We See

Think of the classic optical illusion, the old woman and the young woman.

"My Wife and My Mother-in-Law" is a famous optical illusion that depicts both an old woman looking off to the left and a young woman facing away, looking over her right shoulder. (The old woman's nose is the young woman's chin.) (Image credit: public domain)

Two people can look at the same image and see entirely different things. The same happens in organisations: one leader sees a threat, another sees an opportunity. One sees someone resisting change, another sees someone feeling unheard.

The situation itself isn’t different—the mindset is.

As Viktor Frankl observed, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space lies our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

Challenging Fixed Mindsets

Consider the belief: “People don’t like change.” If a leader assumes this is true, they might approach change cautiously, defensively, and in doing so, create the very resistance they fear.

Now reframe that mindset: “People resist change when they feel excluded or misunderstood.” Suddenly, the response shifts, leading with curiosity, dialogue, and collaboration. The result? Trust grows. Resistance fades. Change becomes possible.

Leading Change with New Eyes

Culture change isn’t just about what we do, but how we see. The most effective leaders cultivate three key behaviours:

·        Self-awareness – Recognising how their mental filters shape decisions.

·        Curiosity – Challenging assumptions and staying open to different perspectives.

·        Adaptability – Letting go of outdated patterns and embracing new ways of working.

As Proust reminds us, discovery isn’t always about seeking something new, sometimes, it’s about seeing what’s already there in a different way. Culture change starts when leaders develop the ability to see, think, and lead differently.

How ready are you to look at culture through new eyes?