Company culture isn’t built through values posters or wellbeing perks. It’s shaped by what senior leaders do—especially when it’s hard. If you want culture to stick, shift your focus from messaging to behavior.
Start with how your leadership team actually operates. Don’t roll out new values until your leadership habits reflect them. Ask: Where are decisions opaque? Where does trust break down? Address leadership behavior first.
Make values cost you something. It’s not enough to name integrity or inclusion—you need to change incentives, give up control, or let go of high performers who don’t align. Employees judge values by what leaders sacrifice to uphold them.
Invite uncomfortable feedback—and act on it. Silence isn’t agreement. If people aren’t speaking up, it’s likely because they don’t feel safe or heard. Build trust by responding visibly and constructively to hard questions.
Replace perks with fixes. Don’t offer digital detox days if people are still getting pinged at midnight. Focus on role clarity, workload norms, and consistent leadership. Remove friction before adding benefits.
Model from the top. Middle managers can’t drive cultural change if executives aren’t living it. Culture isn’t a downstream task—it starts with you. |
