By Ed Krow, Talent Transformation Expert
When it comes to company culture, there’s a trap I see leaders fall into time and time again:
They wait.
They wait for full alignment.
They wait for the next initiative.
They wait for HR to finish planning.
They wait until “everyone’s on board.”
But here’s what I’ve learned from working with 250+ organizations:
High-performing cultures don’t wait. They move.
The Perfection Myth
Many leadership teams operate under the belief that culture needs to be carefully built, planned, and perfected before it can be acted on. So, they hold endless meetings, write values statements, and debate rollout strategies.
Meanwhile, their teams flounder in ambiguity.
Perfection in culture is a myth. What matters most is momentum:visible, consistent action that reinforces what your organization stands for.
Culture isn’t created in strategy decks.
It’s created in daily decisions.
Motion Builds Meaning
Culture is, at its core, behavior at scale. And behavior doesn’t change through speeches, it changes through modeled expectations.
If your leaders want:
- More accountability → They need to demonstrate accountability
- More trust → They need to build it through action
- More initiative → They need to give clarity and permission
Culture follows the behavior of your most visible leaders.
Every day you delay a culture decision; you’re reinforcing the current reality – whether you mean to or not.
How Great Cultures Gain Speed
When I keynote or consult with fast-growth companies, I see the same pattern:
- Clarity > Consensus
They don’t wait for everyone to agree. They decide what matters and act on it. - Leaders Lead Out Front
Senior teams model the change before they talk about the change. - Feedback Loops Are Fast
They listen, adjust, and iterate, because they’re moving forward, not standing still. - Values Are Operationalized
Values aren’t posters. They’re embedded in hiring, feedback, recognition, and accountability systems.
Start Before You’re Ready
If you’re reading this and thinking, “We’re not quite ready for a culture reset”, I want to challenge that thought.
You don’t need to be ready. You need to be real.
The best time to shape your culture is when people are watching…and they’re always watching.
So, start small:
- Define three leader behaviors you expect to see this quarter.
- Make those behaviors visible in meetings, communications, and decisions.
- Celebrate examples. Coach through gaps.
And keep moving.
Final Thought: Culture Is a Race Car, Not a Museum
It’s not something to be admired.
It’s something to be driven.
If your leadership team is ready to stop talking about culture and start building one that fuels performance, I’d love to speak at your next event or offsite. Let’s talk.
