Why Culture Matters More Than Strategy?

Folks It's been great back to school kind of learning experience for past 2 months now, I joined NUS 新加坡国立大学 Global CTO Course in End July '23. So far we learned and mastered Digital Transformations, Disruptions, Innovations, EmergingTech, Digital Business Strategy (DBS), Technology Business Plan (TBP), Digital Portfolio, Digital Product & Service, Customer, Product Centric, MultiChannel, Omnichannel Strategy, Go To Market Plan, TAM/SOM etc..

You may have heard the famous quote attributed to Peter Drucker, the legendary management guru, that "Culture eats strategy for breakfast". But what does it really mean and why is it so relevant for today's leaders and organizations?

In a nutshell, it means that no matter how brilliant, innovative, or well-designed your strategy is, it will not succeed unless you have a strong, positive, and aligned organizational culture that supports it. Culture is the set of shared values, beliefs, norms, and behaviors that shape how people work together and interact with customers, partners, and stakeholders. Culture influences how people make decisions, solve problems, communicate, collaborate, and innovate. A good culture can motivate, inspire, and empower people to perform at their best and achieve the desired outcomes. A bad culture can demoralize, frustrate, and hinder people from reaching their potential and fulfilling the vision.

Some examples of how culture eats strategy for breakfast are:

??If your strategy is to deliver excellent customer service, but your culture is indifferent, rude, or disrespectful to customers, you will lose their trust and loyalty.

??If your strategy is to foster innovation and creativity, but your culture is risk-averse, bureaucratic, or hierarchical, you will stifle new ideas and opportunities.

??If your strategy is to grow and expand your market share, but your culture is complacent, stagnant, or resistant to change, you will miss out on emerging trends and customer needs.

Therefore, it is important to align your culture with your strategy and ensure that they are mutually reinforcing. You can do this by:

??Communicating your vision, mission, values, and goals clearly and consistently to everyone in the organization.

??Engaging your employees in the strategic planning process and soliciting their feedback and input.

??Recognizing and rewarding behaviors that support your strategy and culture.

??Providing training & development opportunities for your employees to enhance their skills and competencies.

??Creating a positive work environment that fosters trust, respect, collaboration, and fun.

By doing these things, you can create a culture that not only eats strategy for breakfast but also lunch and dinner.

I hope this article has given you some insights on why culture matters more than strategy and how you can create a winning culture in your organization. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to share them below or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Please kindly Read the Related Article Below As Well On Core Values! https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/how-core-values-shape-our-future-ravisankar-sundararaj

??Thank you for reading so far, Folks Enjoy, Have A Fantastic Friday & A Wonderful Weekend & SEPTEMBER Month Ahead All??????