“Culture eats strategy for breakfast” – Peter Drucker
Every winter, we hear tragic stories of families falling ill—or worse—due to carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s terrifying how something you can’t see, smell, or taste can have such devastating effects.
Culture in an organization is a lot like that. You can’t physically see it, but you can always feel its impact. Strong, healthy cultures energize teams and drive success, while toxic cultures slowly suffocate innovation, engagement, and performance.
Yet, many leaders underestimate the power of culture because it feels nebulous. We gravitate toward hard data—spreadsheets, KPIs, and outcomes—because they’re easy to measure and graph. Culture, on the other hand, feels intangible and messy.
But here’s the truth: culture is vital.
The House of Culture
Recently, I discovered a leak in my house. I didn’t see the water at first; I only noticed the damage—a growing brown stain on the ceiling above our kitchen table. I could have painted over it and moved on, but that wouldn’t have solved the problem.
After some investigation, I found the source in the attic: a tiny leak around an exhaust pipe.
Culture is like the framing, insulation, and wiring of a house—hidden from view but essential. You can fill your organization with beautiful strategies, fancy dashboards, and high-priced consultants, but if your cultural foundation is weak, the whole structure will eventually crumble.
The Power of One Tiny Atom
Carbon monoxide is deadly. Oxygen, on the other hand, is life-giving. What’s the difference between them? One tiny atom.
In my career, I’ve seen how a single atom can mean the difference between life and death. At one point, I oversaw a wound care center and became fascinated by the healing power of oxygen. Patients with chronic wounds were placed in hyperbaric oxygen chambers where pure oxygen promoted healing.
Imagine if that oxygen were replaced by carbon monoxide—the results would be devastating.
In many organizations, culture can be equally dangerous. The smallest difference—a slight shift in behavior, values, or leadership focus—can mean the difference between a thriving team and one that’s struggling to survive.
Changing Culture: A Process, Not a Mandate
A few years ago, the satirical website The Onion posted a headline: “Boss Wants Friendly Relaxed Culture in Place by Friday.” It’s funny, but also painfully true. Too often, leaders think culture change can happen by rolling out a new set of values, mandating a code of conduct, or requiring employees to complete a learning module.
That’s wildly misguided. Culture change isn’t a quick fix—it’s a process that takes time and consistency. It starts from within the organization, with leaders modeling the change they want to see.
“If you don’t manage your culture, it will manage you.”
Brian Chesky
Just like hyperbaric oxygen therapy requires repeated exposure to heal a wound, culture change requires repeated behaviors and consistent reinforcement. One session won’t do it.
How to Change Culture: A Practical Approach
If you want to change culture, start here:
1. Diagnose the Problem – Identify the “Carbon” in Your Culture
Before you can change culture, you need to recognize where it’s toxic. Pay attention to the “symptoms”—high turnover, disengaged employees, lack of collaboration, or ethical blind spots.
Don’t ignore the brown stain on your ceiling. Investigate its source.
Ask yourself:
- What behaviors contradict our values?
- What’s holding our team back from being their best?
- Where are we failing to listen to frontline employees?
2. Model the Change – Oxygenate Your Leadership
Culture change starts at the top. Employees follow what leaders do, not what they say. If you want a collaborative, innovative, and inclusive culture, you need to live it every day.
Practical Tips:
- Be transparent and vulnerable. Share examples of when you made mistakes and learned from them.
- Recognize and reward behaviors that reflect your desired culture.
- Conduct regular listening sessions and act on employee feedback.
3. Remove Barriers – Root Out the Toxic Elements
Sometimes culture change requires tough decisions. You may need to rethink performance metrics, address toxic behaviors, or even restructure teams that are holding the organization back.
4. Create Repeated Exposure – Build New Habits
Culture isn’t changed by a single initiative. It’s shaped by day-to-day experiences. Focus on creating consistent routines and reinforcing the desired culture at every opportunity.
Ideas:
- Align hiring and onboarding practices with cultural values.
- Incorporate culture into performance reviews.
- Share stories that reflect the desired culture in meetings and communications.
Final Thought
Culture is like the oxygen that breathes life into an organization. It’s invisible but vital. As leaders, we need to recognize its power, diagnose its weaknesses, and nurture it carefully. Find the carbon in your culture, split it off, and replace it with life-giving oxygen.
The process isn’t easy, but with consistent effort, your organization can flourish and thrive.
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