Culture is one of those words that gets tossed around in every boardroom, strategy document, and team kick-off — but what actually is culture?
At its simplest, culture is how things are done around here. It’s shaped by what gets rewarded, what gets ignored, how people make decisions, and even how people behave when no one’s watching. It’s the stories we tell, the values we live (or don’t), and the everyday habits that become “just how we do things.”
For a long time, we’ve leaned heavily on the idea that leaders create culture. And sure, leaders play a role. They set the tone. They model behaviours. But if we stop there, we’re missing the bigger picture and letting too many off the hook.
Because culture isn’t just about who’s at the top.
It’s about the systems they choose to build, reinforce, and live out every day.
Culture Is a Living System — Not a One-Time Project
Gallup puts it perfectly:
“Culture is a living, breathing ecosystem that must be continually nurtured and evolved. Organisations must build systems, structures, and rituals to maintain a consistent focus on positive cultural behaviours.”
It’s a great reminder that culture doesn’t just spring to life from a few inspiring speeches or some cool values posters in the hallway.
It’s not about charisma. It’s about conscious design.
If we want culture to stick, we have to bake it in: Into our hiring, our meetings, our promotions, our daily conversations.
And that means leaders have a critical role, not just as figureheads, but as architects and role models.
From Steve Gruenert & Todd Whitaker:
“An organization’s culture is defined by the worst behaviour you tolerate.”
Culture thrives when leaders design for it — and then embody it. Because no system survives the impact of hypocrisy.
Building Culture into the System: What Works?
Let’s break down a few practical ways organisations (not just leaders) can take real ownership of culture and keep it alive long after the town halls are over.
1. Start with Systems That Shape Behaviour
Culture shows up in processes, not in PowerPoints.
- Hiring & Onboarding: Hire for values, not just skills. During onboarding, help new people understand how you work, not just what you do.
- Performance Reviews: Make it clear that how people get results matters. Recognise people who live the values and not just the ones who hit the targets. They should do both.
- Promotion Pathways: Want more empathy, collaboration, or innovation? Promote the people who show it. Culture follows recognition.
At Chameleon Skills, we believe that ‘The culture you have is the culture your systems create – and your leaders embody.’
2. Set Up Structures That Keep Culture in Focus
Make culture someone’s job, not everyone’s afterthought.
- Culture Committees or Councils: Cross-functional groups that regularly check the pulse of culture and keep it on the agenda.
- Dashboards & Metrics: Track things like engagement, team dynamics, values alignment, and not just revenue and cost. What gets measured gets managed.
3. Use Rituals to Reinforce the Right Things
Culture is often shaped in the small stuff. Rituals give people something to belong to.
- Shout-Outs & Recognition Moments: End team meetings with values-based shoutouts. Celebrate quiet contributions, not just loud wins.
- Storytelling Sessions: Create space for people to share examples of culture in action. Real stories stick more than policy documents ever will.
- Onboarding Traditions: Got a welcome ritual for new hires? A cultural “tour”? A buddy system? These moments build belonging fast.
4. Keep Listening — And Evolving
Culture isn’t static. What worked last year might not work now. COVID taught us that!
- Pulse Surveys: Regularly ask people how things feel. Then do something with the answers.
- Feedback Loops: Set up clear ways for people to raise issues, suggest ideas, or highlight gaps between stated and lived culture. Value their experiences.
- Act on What You Hear: The fastest way to kill culture? Ask for input and do nothing with it.
Your Turn – Building Your Cultural Ecosystem
At Chameleon Skills, we call ourselves ecosystemic coaches and facilitators for a reason. Culture isn’t built in isolation.
It’s shaped by the entire system – the people, the structures, the processes, and the everyday interactions that keep it alive.
And at the centre of that system are leaders, not as culture heroes, but as its chief designers and daily demonstrators.
Just like any ecosystem, your culture needs nurturing, balance, and conscious design if it’s going to thrive.
Here’s the challenge:
- Where in your system is your culture flourishing?
- Where is it under stress?
- And what’s one small shift you can make this month to reinforce the culture you want to see?
Culture isn’t a side project — it’s the environment your organisation breathes every day.
Design it. Reinforce it. Live it.
We can help!
View us at: www.chameleonskills.com
In a hurry?
Email: merlinda@chameleonskills.com or Veronica@chameleonskills.com