What Is Your Organization’s Culture?

---

What Is Your Organization’s Culture?

Every organization has a culture — whether it is intentionally built or unconsciously evolved. Culture is the invisible fabric that shapes how people think, act, and collaborate every day. It defines how decisions are made, how success is celebrated, and how challenges are confronted. Yet, despite its profound impact on performance, culture often remains one of the most overlooked assets in an organization.

Culture as the Backbone of Organizational Success

Research consistently shows that a strong organizational culture is directly linked to better business outcomes. According to a Harvard Business School study, companies with strong cultures saw a 4x increase in revenue growth compared to those with weaker ones. Similarly, Deloitte’s Global Human Capital Trends report found that 82% of executives believe culture is a potential competitive advantage, yet only 19% believe they have the “right” culture in place to drive success.

Culture isn’t about slogans on the wall or corporate values written in a handbook. It’s about what actually happens when no one is watching — the behaviors, decisions, and unwritten rules that shape every interaction. During stable times, weak cultures may go unnoticed. But during periods of change, crisis, or transformation, culture reveals its true strength. Organizations with cohesive, values-driven cultures adapt faster, maintain trust, and emerge stronger. Those without one often struggle with confusion, disengagement, and declining performance.

Why Leaders Must Take the Culture Pulse

Many leaders invest significant time in strategies, KPIs, and processes — yet overlook the system that makes all of those elements work together: culture. They assume culture will “take care of itself,” but it never does. Just as equipment needs maintenance, culture requires intentional care and periodic inspection.

Leaders should regularly ask:

• What behaviors are truly rewarded and recognized here?
• Do our stated values align with how we operate under pressure?
• How connected and engaged do our people feel to our mission?
• Are we nurturing psychological safety and inclusion?

A culture pulse check can help reveal gaps between “what we say we value” and “what we actually do.” Addressing these gaps early can prevent larger issues — disengagement, turnover, resistance to change — that ultimately affect innovation, safety, and the bottom line.

Culture During Times of Change

In times of transition — mergers, reorganizations, digital transformations, or market disruptions — culture becomes the deciding factor between thriving and struggling.

• Strong cultures act as stabilizers, uniting teams around a shared purpose, fostering resilience, and empowering people to innovate under pressure.
• Weak or misaligned cultures magnify stress, confusion, and resistance, eroding trust and slowing down progress.

A McKinsey study found that companies that intentionally manage their culture during transformation are 5x more likely to achieve breakthrough performance. In other words, culture isn’t just an HR concern — it’s a strategic business imperative.

Building and Sustaining a Strong Culture

A thriving culture is not built overnight; it’s cultivated through clarity, consistency, and commitment. Leaders can take actionable steps:

1. Define clearly what your culture stands for. Identify core behaviors that exemplify your values.
2. Model it visibly. Culture cascades from the top; what leaders tolerate or demonstrate becomes the standard.
3. Measure it periodically. Conduct culture or engagement surveys, focus groups, or external assessments to keep a real-time pulse.
4. Recognize and reinforce desired behaviors. What gets recognized gets repeated.
5. Listen and evolve. Culture should not be static; it should evolve with the organization’s purpose and people.

Final Thought

Culture is not a “soft” aspect of business — it’s the engine of performance and resilience. In every high-performing organization, culture is intentional, visible, and constantly nurtured. In every struggling organization, culture has been ignored or left to chance.

So, ask yourself: What is the real culture of your organization?
When the next wave of change comes — will it hold you together or pull you apart?

 —
LaReal Consulting
Innovating Real Solutions to Deliver Real Value.