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Company Culture Is Organic
Leadership / Principles
Culture isn't what you write on the wall. It's what people actually do.
The Reality
- Culture emerges from behaviour, not from values posters.
- What gets rewarded becomes the culture.
- What leaders tolerate becomes the culture.
- Culture changes slowly, whether you want it to or not.
You Can't Mandate Culture
Saying "we value innovation" means nothing if:
- People get punished for failed experiments.
- There's no time allocated for exploration.
- Only safe, predictable projects get approved.
You Can Shape Culture
- Hire for it. Culture is the sum of the people. See Company Becomes People It Hires.
- Model it. Do what you want others to do.
- Reward it. Recognise behaviour that matches the culture you want.
- Prune it. Address behaviour that contradicts it.
- Be patient. Culture shifts take months, not days.
The Test
What happens when no one is watching? That's your real culture.
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