13.5. Reaping Rewards

The interventions Cedarwood executed began generating impressive results. For example, the average number of costly and time-consuming interactions decreased by 33 percent on a monthly basis and by almost 40 percent on a weekly basis. As the CEO noted:

The project was a huge success based on savings generated on a handful of decisions—not to mention the impact on the organization's culture and behavior. It's also going to prove invaluable as we prepare for aggressive growth in the near future.

The changes also lifted employees' spirits. Employees saw these changes as the first steps toward rekindling the company's egalitarian culture. Senior leaders, for their part, were reassured that the company's continued growth would not destroy a strong and attractive culture of collaboration and empowerment. They knew that Cedarwood's prized culture could survive, even as the organization grew in size and complexity.