Don't Focus On Strategy At The Expense Of Culture

10 ways to make culture a primary focus and drive culture and strategy closer together. 

- Eric Bauer

Strategy and culture are inextricably intertwined. The saying goes, ‘Culture eats strategy for breakfast.’ Strategy is logical, tangible, formal. Culture is more amorphous, evidenced through values, purpose, and shared goals. Leaders rise through the ranks developing their strategic capabilities along the way, often unaware of their ability to affect the culture and use it as a strategic advantage. While strategy is self-evident, culture is mysterious.

A mistake some CEOs make is thinking that culture is a secondary priority. They avoid conversations in executive staff meetings about culture and focus on the quarterly objectives.

Companies that focus on driving their culture and strategy together have an easier time aligning themselves internally to employees and externally to customers.

ALIGNING STRATEGY & CULTURE

Here are 10 ways to make culture a primary focus and drive culture and strategy closer together:

1 Start with Your Purpose

People know what you do. They may even know how you do it. But do they know why you do what you do? Your purpose helps define who you are. It is an important way to connect employees and customers to your reason for existing.