Culture is everywhere in leadership conversations. Executives call it a top priority. They launch new values campaigns, roll out wellbeing programs, rewrite mission statements, and deliver heartfelt talks about trust and purpose. But here’s the tension: for all the activity, something isn’t landing. In many organizations, the more leaders talk about culture, the more hollow it feels — especially when the systems and actions behind the words don’t line up. 

In today’s episode we’re diving into a counterintuitive insight from a recent Harvard Business Review article: culture isn’t changed by fancy slogans or stirring speeches. It’s changed by the systems — incentives, processes, workflows, structural design — that guide day-to-day behavior. 

Join Rich and Maikel as we break down why leaders who rely solely on messaging often fall short, how systemic design outpaces communication, and concrete steps you can take to rewire your organization’s cultural architecture in this episode of Mainline Executive Coaching ACT.

Leaders, Lead Well!

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