Why Culture Eats Strategy—and How to Build One That Lasts

Two companies selling nearly the same product start at the same time. Ten years in, the first boasts an impressive set of strategies but a revolving door of staff and a mood best described as, 'every person for themselves.' The second company is a social magnet; people visit not just for the products but for the atmosphere. Inside, people speak in 'we'—taking pride in each other’s successes, sharing both jokes and direction. When a crisis hits—competition, economy, technology—Company One sticks to the plan and looks for someone to blame; Company Two adapts, pitches in, laughs together, and finds a new swing.

Culture isn’t built in a mission statement, but in the everyday practice of connection, openness, and mutual support. Social scientists—like Peter Drucker, who claimed 'culture eats strategy for breakfast'—have measured performance boosts in places where meaningful relationships trump rigid control. By tracking language, fostering informal connections, and celebrating little victories, groups build resilience that outlasts market swings.

A culture that flourishes doesn't just help you survive; it helps you thrive.

Tune your ear for the language around you—do you catch more 'we' or 'they'? Take regular time to gather your group, not for status updates but simply to talk, share, or laugh. Each day, notice when someone truly embodies your team’s spirit, and call it out. The more you nurture small moments, informal bonds, and the quirks that make your crew unique, the more you’ll find problems get solved, and people come back for more. Try this for a week, and see what changes.