Published
Most strategies fail not because they’re wrong on paper, but because the daily habits, language, and peer expectations of the organization don’t support them. Culture is the multiplier on strategic intent: it either amplifies the signal or dampens it into noise.
Strategy points the way; culture moves the feet
Slides outline what to do. Culture shapes how people actually behave when tradeoffs appear, when timelines compress, and when risk surfaces. Rituals, norms, and shared stories turn strategy from a plan into practiced behavior.
Three levers that multiply strategy
- Rituals: recurring forums that reinforce priorities (e.g., a weekly “customer reality” readout).
- Language: short, vivid phrases that encode choices (“ship thin, learn fast”).
- Peer norms: visible agreements that show how we hold each other to the new standard.
How to architect the multiplier
- Translate strategic goals into one or two behaviors per team.
- Install a cadence that makes those behaviors visible and discussable.
- Retire rituals that reward the old game.
Quick start: Pick one critical behavior, name it, rehearse it in a weekly forum, and track it in your operating rhythm for 90 days.