Culture is often described as the invisible force that shapes an organization. One definition is “knowledge, values, attitudes, and beliefs shared by a society,” or we often describe it simply as “how we do things around here.” Inherent in that is a standard and expectation defined by the organization, so culture isn’t merely a concept. Culture drives behavior, influences decision-making, and ultimately determines an organization’s success.
Yet, many leaders view culture as something intangible—an outcome rather than an input. The reality? Culture is either actively cultivated or passively allowed to take its own shape, and its impact on execution, innovation, affiliation, and performance cannot be overstated. Without intentional focus, culture can become a significant barrier to achieving strategic goals and retaining talent. Conversely, when purposely crafted, nurtured, and embedded, culture becomes the catalyst that propels an organization to new heights.
One way to think about this idea is to consider a garden. The most vibrant and productive gardens thrive not just because of what is planted but because of the ecosystem in which these items grow. If the soil is neglected or the environment is not conducive to promote growth, the plants struggle—no matter how strong the seeds. The same is true for organizations. Culture is the environment where people, strategies, and innovations thrive or wither.
Culture’s Impact on Execution and Performance
A strong culture doesn’t happen by accident; it requires consistent attention and care. If you are not actively working the ecosystem—cultivating values, fertilizing with clear communication, monitoring conditions through feedback, and weeding out behaviors that contradict the mission—your organization’s culture may unintentionally hinder execution and reject innovation. Let’s use Strategy as an example.
The well-known quote from Peter Drucker, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast,” underscores the fundamental truth that an organization’s culture determines whether strategic initiatives succeed or fail. Culture drives behaviors—both explicit and implicit. If the prevailing behaviors within an organization contradict its strategy, execution will stall.
For example, a firm that values collaboration but rewards individual performance may struggle with teamwork. A company that emphasizes innovation but seeks blame and punishes failure will see employees hesitate to take risks. An organization that values and promotes change but has leaders who protect or hold onto legacy thinking and processes may fall behind competitively or limit growth. To be successful, when setting strategic objectives, leaders must ask themselves: Does our culture support the actions and behaviors required to execute our strategy? If not, culture must be addressed before expecting strategic initiatives to gain traction and deliver results.
While strategy was used as the example, you could look at other areas and ask the same question. If we implement X, does our culture support the actions and behaviors required to execute? If you know that X is what you need to do to get to the next level and the answer to that question is no, you must address the culture and ask yourself: what must we do to change or strengthen the culture so it provides the necessary ecosystem to propel success? To ensure your culture helps you succeed, think through the following aspects of culture.
Tending the Ecosystem – Practical Steps to Ensure Your Culture Works for You
- Define and Clarify
Performance starts with expectations, and there is no stronger foundation for behavioral expectations than your mission, values, and core beliefs. What are your mission and values? Do you have core beliefs or guiding principles? And How well are these keystone elements known and understood? Clarity around mission, values, and core beliefs sets the standard for behavior, decision-making, and accountability. In fact, in their book Managing by Values, Ken Blanchard and Michael O’Connor state, “In a company that truly manages by its values, there is only one boss – the company’s values.” So, they and the mission must be defined and clear.
In addition, it’s important to go beyond simple definitions and provide examples of behaviors that demonstrate the mission and values and those that don’t. When not well supported by guidance and illustrations, values may be misapplied or turned into rationalizations to justify behavior that is not aligned. Remember, if you don’t clearly define your culture, it will define itself—and possibly in ways that undermine your goals or that you do not intend. - Communicate and Reinforce
Culture is not a one-time message. Ongoing communication reinforcing culture must be woven into the fabric of daily operations. Critical questions here include: How are new employees oriented to your culture? What messaging is included? In what ways and how often are we reiterating our mission and values to existing employees? What communication methods are we using (e.g., 1:1 conversations, team conversations, training, digital reminders, visual signs or posters, tangible items or swag, storytelling, etc.)? How are leaders role-modeling the behaviors we promote as part of our culture? How are leaders integrating or reinforcing mission and values into their communications?
When it comes to culture, you must be diligent in weaving the communication throughout the entire employee experience, not just in onboarding. Mission, values, and core beliefs don’t come to life in mere definitions. Strategic repetition of key messages regarding your culture is vital for clarity, enhanced understanding, and living it. - Institutionalize
Defining and communicating culture is essential, but the real impact happens when culture is institutionalized—when it becomes embedded in the organizational DNA. This means:- Promoting your mission and values as part of your employer brand
- Using your mission and values for screening when selecting and hiring talent
- Integrating cultural expectations into onboarding processes
- Embedding values into performance development and promotion criteria
- Reinforcing culture through recognition and rewards
- Promoting storytelling to evidence the culture in action
- Creating culture-based experiences
- Integrating culture into learning and development
- Using mission and values as part of the selection criteria for potential mergers or acquisitions
- Embedding culture carriers in new offices, locations, or teams
- Making culture part of decision-making, referencing it in meetings and daily conversations
These are just a few of the examples. The key is to create ways to demonstrate and reinforce how you want people to operate within your organization and what you want them to experience. When culture is institutionalized, it ceases to be an abstract concept and becomes a living, breathing force that guides the organization.
Shaping Your Results
Are you tending your ecosystem? Leaders who actively cultivate culture create an environment where strategy can be executed, innovation can flourish, and resilience can be built. Culture is not a side project; it is the foundation upon which every aspect of business success is built. If you’re not shaping your culture with intention, it is shaping your results—whether you realize it or not.
The question isn’t whether your organization has a culture—the question is whether it’s the culture you need to succeed.
Breakthrough Moments
To truly “break through” and elevate your organization’s success, reflect on your culture, leadership practices, and team dynamics. Explore the following questions to seize opportunities for positive impact.
- Every organization has cultural strengths that drive engagement and performance. What are the cultural behaviors, traditions, or practices that energize your team? How can you intentionally reinforce and expand these to create an even greater impact?
- What are the unwritten rules of how your team works together when they are at their best? How can you capture and reinforce these as part of your culture?
- How can we recognize and reinforce behaviors that align with our cultural vision?
- Review the ideas for institutionalizing culture. What is one area in which you could dial up the focus and intentionality to strengthen culture as a part of your organization’s DNA?
