The role of leadership in developing organizational culture

Welcome to our latest newsletter! This month, we’re exploring a topic that's crucial for every business.

Culture: The heart and soul of every organization

Culture breathes life into every business — it shapes how employees interact, tackle challenges, and define the workplace atmosphere. But, creating a robust culture isn’t a one-time effort; it’s an ongoing journey that demands commitment from everyone. Leaders must continually reinforce, communicate, and role-model the desired culture to ensure it's lived out daily.

Why intentional culture matters

A positive culture doesn’t just boost morale and inspire loyalty—it goes much deeper than that. When leadership takes a deliberate approach to building and maintaining the right culture, it significantly enhances overall performance and creates a foundation for shared success.?

By being intentional about culture, leaders can foster an environment where everyone can thrive and contribute to the organization's goals.

Developing a strong organizational culture shouldn’t be left to chance. It requires deliberate effort from leaders to foster an environment where values are not just talked about but genuinely embraced every day without even realizing it.?

Why is this important? Let’s look at the numbers:

• Industries are evolving rapidly, and proactive cultural development is key to thriving amidst these changes. With 88% of leaders anticipating faster changes in 2024, a strong culture prepares organizations for whatever lies ahead.
• Only 20% of employees feel truly connected to their company’s culture. This disconnect can lead to high turnover and hinder goal achievement. Involving employees in shaping the culture builds stronger connections and fosters a sense of ownership.
• Managers significantly impact employee engagement—70% of it, in fact. A well-aligned culture enhances understanding of company values, driving motivation, performance, and innovation.
• With 84% of people exploring new job opportunities, a well-defined culture can attract and keep top talent, reduce turnover, and strengthen the team.

Leadership roles and cultural development

As they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a strong organizational culture! Leaders at every level play a critical role not just in creating culture but also in sustaining it for the long term.

Read more about the critical role of leadership in developing organizational culture with our latest blog post here.

Books We Love. ??????

Mastering Leadership by Robert Anderson and William? Adams

Recommended by Geoff Thomas in Sydney, Australia

Geoff says:?“Mastering Leadership” has had a big impact for me and many of the people I coach. ?It’s a deep dive into leadership that connects core values, beliefs and behaviours.? It is a book that really explores our human light and dark side.? Our Jedi and Darth Vader as it shows up in leadership, us at our best and less constructive. ?

Explore the book here

Learning Science We Love. ??????

Social psychologist Edgar Schein's model of organizational culture describes three tiers - Artefacts, Espoused Values, and Underlying Assumptions.

Importantly, this helps us to understand that it is the underlying assumptions that are the heart and soul, the undertone of the organization, that we cannot easily see or determine – and if we want to change an organization, it is here, in the depths of organizational culture,?that we must work.?

If we don’t discover or understand these underlying assumptions, any organizational change may not succeed anywhere other than at surface level.

Take a look at this article on Organizational Culture from Psychsafety.co.uk to find out more.

Thank you for reading! Stay tuned for more insights on leadership and building a thriving organizational culture.

Did you know our award-winning programmes can help you create and maintain a great organizational culture? Contact us today to find out more — we’d love to chat.