FROM VICTIMS TO VICTORS: UNDERSTANDING AND CHANGING THE CULTURE OF THE SUGAR INDUSTRY IN THE HERBERT

A COMMONLY accepted definition of culture is ‘how we do things around here’. In 2004, leaders representing all facets of the sugar industry recognised that our culture may be contributing, in part, to the difficulties we faced. More importantly, the leaders recognised that culture led us to act like victims, blocking our capacity to find and implement solutions. Supported by SRDC, the leaders commissioned social scientists to map the historical and current cultural practices within the industry in the Herbert. These ‘archetype’ practices were subsequently validated by participants in a number of industry workshops. Having identified our archetypal ‘bad behaviours’, the project commissioned the trialling of more appropriate ways of thinking and behaving. A protocol for effective dialogue was subsequently successfully trialled in three separate siding rationalisation meetings. At the end of the ‘Cultural Imprint’ project, social scientists were again engaged to assess the changes to our culture that had occurred in the three years of the project. Further, a coaching workshop for industry and community leaders was conducted to ensure that the effective dialogue skills were diffused throughout the industry and community helping to ensure that our ‘bad behaviours’ remained left behind in our history.