The smell of culture
Mustapha Bernabas Mugisa (aka Mr Strategy)
Founding Director @ Summit Consulting Ltd| EX-EY| Certified Fraud Examiner| MBA| Author 7 Tools To Get On The Board & Add Value| ACCA Student Award Winner| Board Member| Board & Exec Coach Strategy, Risk & Cybersecurity
Many years ago, in Munteme village, my grandmother had a simple rule—if the kitchen smelled bad, something was wrong. It didn’t matter how much we cleaned the floor; if the air carried the scent of something rotten, we had to find the source.
Culture in an organisation works the same way. You don’t need a survey or fancy consultants to tell you something is off. Just walk into the office. Do people greet each other with energy or mumble half-hearted hellos? Does the air feel charged with purpose or weighed down by tension? You can see, hear, and even smell a company’s culture before anyone explains it.
I once worked with a company where employees avoided the boss’s corridor like it had an invisible fence. When I asked why, they laughed nervously—"If he sees you, he’ll find a reason to attack." That wasn’t a leadership style; it was a toxic culture in action.
Fixing culture isn’t about posters or new mission statements. It’s about changing daily habits. If leadership shows respect, teams will follow. If managers listen, employees will speak up. If people see, hear, and feel the right behaviours every day, culture transforms.
So, here’s my challenge to you: Take a deep breath. What does your workplace smell like? If something is off, don’t spray air freshener. Find the source—and fix it.
Mr. Strategy
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Join me for a no-nonsense leadership talk – transform your culture, transform your business
When was the last time you walked into your office and truly felt energy, ownership, and purpose? Or are you leading a team that’s just going through the motions—silent meetings, passive employees, and managers who enforce rules instead of inspiring action?
If that sounds familiar, then it’s time for a serious cultural transformation. And that’s exactly what I’ll be unpacking in my next exclusive leadership talk. This isn’t theory—this is real, raw, and practical insight from years of fixing broken business cultures.
?? Join me live at the Exclusive Leadership Talk! ?? Register Here
What you’ll learn
a) The real reason your team is disengaged (Hint: It’s not about salaries or benefits!) Most leaders assume motivation is about money. Wrong. I’ll show you what truly drives people to take ownership and perform at their best—and why most companies get it completely backwards.
b) How to spot toxic culture before it destroys your business I’ll teach you how to see, hear, and even smell the signs of a broken culture before it spreads like a virus. This is the key to stopping dysfunction before it kills performance.
c) The power of leadership presence – why your energy sets the tone Ever walked into a room and felt the tension instantly? That’s culture at play. I’ll teach you how to use tone, storytelling, and presence to shift your company’s emotional atmosphere without saying a word.
d) Why culture is NOT about HR – and who should really own it If you think HR is responsible for culture, you’ve already lost the battle. I’ll show you who really drives culture and how to hold them accountable.
Why you should attend
?? Immediate, practical insights – No fluff, no textbook theories. Just hard-hitting strategies that you can start applying the moment you leave the session.
?? Real-world examples – From my work transforming businesses across East and Southern Africa, I’ll share the exact strategies that CEOs, managers, and team leaders have used to fix their culture problems fast.
?? Unfiltered leadership wisdom – If you’re looking for sugarcoated motivation, this isn’t for you. If you want the truth about why your company culture is failing and how to fix it, then you need to be in this room.
Seats are limited – secure yours now!
?? Register Here –only Ugx. 200,000 or USD 55. Virtual session only.
See you there. Come ready for a culture shift that will change how you lead—forever.
Mr. Strategy.
AI-Amplified Freelance B2B Copywriter, Researcher and Trainer. Helping B2B with research and content that yields results. Timely
2 天前Thanks Mustapha. Agreed. Organisation culture is not about what is on paper, it's a way of life. Changing daily habits is the best way to fix it.