Does culture eat strategy for breakfast? 
Well, yes… and no. Let’s examine.
What Peter Drucker meant, when he famously quoted “Culture eats strategy for breakfast” is unless your corporate culture is strong and positive, your team will hold the company back, regardless of how well you’ve planned your strategy.
As a leader, you likely put a lot of thought into your business strategy. Maybe you’ve hired consultants, or maybe your senior team goes on regular retreats to make solid plans. Perhaps you’ve had brainstorming sessions to create a compelling mission, and carefully wrote your vision statement. Could be you’ve also spent hours determining how to best state the values that you want your company to uphold.
If your employees aren’t aligned with you on the vision and feel your company doesn’t live up to its stated values, then they won’t care about your strategic plan and may not be on board to help you execute it.
So, yes, culture does eat away at strategy.
But… what if Culture was included in your strategic plan?
Now we’re onto something. You see, culture happens. What is in question is whether it’s the type of company culture we want. Culture depends on the people who shape it. It’s the way your company operates, and the way employees operate within it. It encompasses engagement, passion, creativity, and innovation.
When you know your team—what you can expect from them, what interests and excites them, what makes them want to come to work—then your strategy has a much better chance of being put into play. When aligned, culture and strategy become a powerful force driving toward business success.
Let me give you an example. I worked for a company in the manufacturing sector. I was paid okay, kind of middle of the road for my job function. Although there was no financial incentive for me, several times I made calls to my husband telling him I would be working late. We had exciting projects, and I was immersed! As a salaried employee, I received no overtime. What I did get was a feeling of purpose and accomplishment, as well as inclusion in a team that was doing great work. I also felt as if our work made a difference to other employees and our customers. I felt like our leaders appreciated what we were doing and valued our contributions. And that is why I did it.
Breaking this down will provide tips on how you can implement a positive and healthy culture in your workplace:
- Define and align core values.
What does the company truly value, and how is this translated to employees and customers? Does the work they do contribute to these values?
- Ask questions and be open to feedback.
Employees have ideas which could positively impact company success. After all, they’re the ones doing the work, so their opinions and ideas have merit. So, ask questions. Invite their opinions and listen to their feedback. Ask them what they see happening, what solutions would they recommend and why, and then how they would like to be involved. Then be open to what they say. If you’re not prepared to listen, then maybe you should do some navel-gazing and ask yourself why that is.
- Craft a compelling vision.
You’ve got your ideas, and you’ve listened to the ideas of the team. It’s time to put it together into a clear and compelling vision. Your employees need to know where you’re going and how what they do makes a difference. When they can see the vision, and when they can feel your belief in them to get the company there, then they will want to follow.
- Become part of the process.
Talk to your people along the way. Be interested in what they’re doing and how you can help. Listen to their feedback and help them implement solutions. People love to feel like what they do matters. So, show them how it matters. An ideal time to do this is in your weekly one-on-ones. Demonstrate with your questions and conversation that you’re interested and excited with their progress. Conversely, show that you’re there to provide guidance and support when things get challenging.
- Strive for collaboration and inclusion.
The number one thing employees want from their leaders is respect. They want to feel heard, understood, and valued. They want to feel as if they matter. When they feel like valued members of the team, they will feel safe to bring up ideas and offer solutions. They will also feel like they can push back where it’s warranted and brainstorm better solutions. When an environment values diverse inputs from all team members, it becomes a place where people want to work, grow, thrive, and be their most productive.
- Celebrate wins.
People like to feel like their work matters—like they matter. When things go well, be sure to join in on the celebration. Demonstrate that you know what they’ve accomplished, and you are happy with the results.
I once worked for a tech firm with a new CEO who, every day, walked into the building, went straight into his office, and shut the door. One day, I found myself at the coffee machine at the same time he was. I took the opportunity to reintroduce myself, since I was pretty sure he didn’t know who any of the employees were. He looked at me strangely and said, “Of course I know who you are.” Honestly, I was surprised. (Why wouldn’t I be? He never acknowledged me before.) This was a man who didn’t know or care about the people who worked for him. And we all felt it. Maybe that’s why engagement surveys came back with a lack of trust in and connection to the executive team. And maybe that’s why so many people were looking for different jobs.
When strategy is all about tactics and execution, people don’t feel engaged and find it difficult to align with it. However, when strategy includes the creation of a strong, positive, and inclusive workplace culture… now that’s the kind of breakfast food leaders should be eating.
Photo by Drazen Zigic on Freepik