Culture has often been described as how employees feel in their hearts and guts about Monday morning on Sunday night. It’s that intangible yet powerful force that shapes experiences, behaviors, and ultimately, performance.
As leadership expert Peter Drucker once said, *“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”* That means even the most brilliant strategies can be undermined by a weak or misaligned culture. For leaders, organizational culture is perhaps the only truly sustainable competitive advantage directly within their control, making it a critical focus area for long-term success.
Dr. Laura Hamill, an organizational psychologist and former director of People Research at Microsoft, has dedicated her career to understanding workplace culture. Co-founder of Limeade, an employee experience platform, and author of *The Power of Culture: Bringing Values to Life at Work*, Hamill brings both scientific depth and real-world insight into what makes cultures thrive—or falter.
One of her key concepts is **cultural betrayal**, which occurs when there’s a significant gap between the company’s stated values and the actual experience employees have. When leaders fail to live up to the promises made—whether explicitly during hiring or implicitly through messaging—credibility erodes quickly.
Employees are highly attuned to these inconsistencies. They feel resentment when the culture they were promised doesn’t match reality. This sense of betrayal is especially damaging in mission-driven organizations, where alignment between personal and organizational values is often a core motivator.
The consequences of perceived cultural betrayal can be severe. Employees may disengage, withdraw from participation in meetings or events, and ultimately leave the organization. High turnover—particularly among top performers—is often one of the first signs that something is deeply wrong with the culture.
Conversely, when aspirational culture aligns with lived experience, organizations unlock what Hamill calls **intentional culture**—a deliberate, strategic effort to shape mindsets and behaviors that support desired outcomes. Unfortunately, many companies stop short, believing that simply publishing core values on a website is enough. In reality, that’s just the beginning.
The Role of Power in Culture
Power dynamics play a central role in shaping organizational culture. How power is distributed—and whether it’s shared across levels—can either reinforce or undermine cultural values. Leaders serve as both architects and ambassadors of culture, modeling behavior and setting expectations through both words and actions.
Hamill emphasizes that leaders must be conscious of their influence. “Even small gestures or comments can be interpreted as signals about what’s truly valued in the organization,” she says. Because leaders act as **‘culture megaphones,’** their explicit and implicit messages ripple through the organization, reinforcing or reshaping its cultural DNA.
This underscores the need for intentionality. If culture isn’t actively shaped, it evolves on its own—often in ways that don’t serve the business or its people.
Recognizing Toxic Culture
Toxic culture isn’t a new phenomenon, but awareness around it is growing—and so is intolerance for it. Organizations today are being held more accountable than ever for the environments they create.
So, what are the warning signs?
- **High turnover**, especially among high-performing employees who have options elsewhere.
- **Withdrawal behaviors**, such as declining participation in meetings, events, or conversations.
- A noticeable lack of psychological safety—employees hesitate to speak up, ask questions, or challenge the status quo.
- **Apathy and disengagement**, where work feels like going through the motions rather than contributing meaningfully.
- Language shifts, such as using “they” instead of “we,” or deflecting responsibility with phrases like, “That’s not my job.”
These red flags signal deeper issues that require immediate attention, not just because of the human cost, but also because toxic cultures damage productivity, innovation, and reputation.
Aligning Culture with Strategy
For culture to be a true asset, it must be aligned with the organization’s operational strategy. This alignment isn’t accidental—it must be **explicit and intentional**.
Forward-thinking leaders recognize that culture and strategy are intertwined. A strong culture fuels execution, drives engagement, and supports strategic goals. Conversely, a misaligned culture can sabotage even the best-laid plans.
By ensuring that cultural initiatives support the broader business strategy, leaders create an environment where employees feel connected to the mission, empowered to contribute, and motivated to stay. This kind of alignment builds resilience, enhances performance, and creates a lasting competitive edge.
In short, culture isn’t just a side project for HR—it’s the foundation of everything a leader hopes to achieve.