Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast – But Only If You Let It

In what ways might an organisation's culture silently sabotage even the most well-designed strategies? What proactive leadership behaviours can prevent this disconnect?

Too often, leaders spend months perfecting a business strategy, only to watch it fail in execution. Why? Because strategy is only as good as the culture that delivers it.

Organisational culture, the shared values, behaviours and unwritten rules that shape how work gets done, isn't just a "soft" element. It's the invisible hand guiding decision-making, collaboration and innovation. When culture and strategy are aligned, you gain momentum. When they're at odds, even the best plan will falter.

Peter Drucker famously said, "Culture eats strategy for breakfast." But culture isn't a beast to be tamed. It's a mirror of leadership. The late Herb Kelleher, co-founder of Southwest Airlines, once remarked, "Culture is what people do when no one is looking." That quote sums it up: culture is not what we write down. It's what we live.

Culture isn't ping pong tables or weekly fruit baskets. It's how people behave when no one is watching. It's what gets rewarded, ignored or punished. It's embedded in leadership behaviour, communication styles and team dynamics.

At Colette Strategic Solutions, we believe culture must be intentionally designed, nurtured and led. Because culture doesn't eat strategy for breakfast, unless you leave it unattended. Moreso, it is always leader-led: not a project or an HR intervention, but the 'smell of the place' that people feel the moment they walk in the door.

Culture is never neutral. Leaders shape it through every decision, every silence and every hire. As Larry Senn puts it, "Culture is the shadow of the leader."

Start by asking yourself: What is our culture today? Is it helping or hindering our goals? If you're unsure, it's time to take a closer look. Call us today so we can help you align your culture with your strategy and turn intent into impact.