Sarah UpdikeA practical guide for building organizational alignment that sticks.
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast” is a favorite quote in leadership circles. It points to a core truth: Even the best strategy will stall if your culture doesn’t encourage people to buy-in.
What this clever quote misses is that even the best culture will stagnate without an effective organizational strategy.
Just like all great edible pairings—peanut butter & jelly; peas & carrots—strategy and culture are better together. We propose a better morning-meal metaphor:
Culture and strategy are essential parts of a balanced breakfast.
- Without an environment where people can thrive, the most brilliant plan falls flat.
- Without clear goals and a roadmap, thriving energy has nowhere to go.
So what should leadership teams focus on—strategy or culture? Yes. Both. Always. Together.
When culture and strategy are developed in isolation, they compete. When they’re aligned, they reinforce each other. The result? Organizations and people thrive.
Why This Matters
Strategy sets direction. Culture shapes momentum.
You need both to move an organization forward.
When strategy leads without culture:
- People don’t feel connected to the goals
- Priorities change, but behaviors don’t
- Execution breaks down
When culture leads without strategy:
- People feel good—but drift without purpose
- Resources get spread too thin
- Progress is hard to measure
High-functioning organizations build strategy with culture in mind—and culture with strategy as its anchor.
What Thriving Alignment Looks Like
When strategy and culture reinforce each other, you see it in:
- Clear, shared purpose
- Decisions that reflect stated values
- Employees energized by where the organization is headed
- Accountability that feels supportive, not punishing
It’s not about perfection—it’s about intention and alignment.
How to Align Culture and Strategy
This isn’t a one-time quick-fix. It’s a mindset shift that shows up in daily leadership practice. Here’s a practical framework to get you started:
- Name the culture you want.
- Assess the culture you have.
- Build culture into the strategy—while building the strategy.
- Equip leaders to be culture-carriers.
- Reinforce and revisit.
Notice that this framework begins with your future vision. Your vision becomes your north star, enabling you to assess where you are now, what you need to get where you’re going, and how to measure progress along the way. Let’s take a closer look at each step on the journey…
1. Name the Culture You Want
Before building a strategy, define what kind of organization you want to be:
- What should it feel like to work here?
- What do we value—and how do we show it?
- What behaviors do we want to see more of?
- What do we want our customers and employees to say about us?
Get specific. Culture is easier to shape when you know what you want employees to see, hear, and experience in their workplace.
2. Assess the Culture You Have
Don’t assume alignment—ask:
- What are employees saying in surveys or exit interviews?
- What unspoken rules drive behavior?
- Where are we reinforcing values—and where are we not?
- What are our customers telling us about what it’s like to do business with us?
Culture lives in the gap between what’s said and what’s done, impacting employees and customers alike.
3. Build Culture into Strategy—While Building the Strategy
As you develop strategic goals:
- Sense-check each one for alignment with your values and your north star.
- Ask: What would this require of our people? Our leaders?
- Identify cultural risks (e.g., burnout, resistance) and build supports to address them
- Identify how you will measure progress on culture and strategic goals
Make culture a strategy input—not a retroactive add-on.
4. Equip Leaders to Be Culture-Carriers
Even the best plan won’t stick without leadership behavior to match.
Help leaders:
- Connect strategy to everyday work
- Communicate the “why” behind the plan
- Show up in ways that reflect the culture you’re building
Leadership consistency is the fast lane to culture change.
5. Reinforce and Revisit
Culture and strategy both evolve. Recheck alignment regularly:
- Celebrate progress of both strategy and culture
- Learn from stumbles
- Adjust both strategic plans and culture practices as needed
This isn’t extra work. It is the work.
Closing Thought
Culture and strategy aren’t separate threads. They’re woven together in every decision, every meeting, every interaction.
The question isn’t which comes first.
The real question is: are they pulling in the same direction?
When they are, the result is real traction—and a workplace people want to be part of.
Definitions
Culture: How work feels—and how it gets done.
It’s the shared values, behaviors, and norms that shape day-to-day experience.
Culture shows up in what gets rewarded, what gets ignored, and how people treat each other—especially when no one’s watching.
Strategy: A clear plan for where you’re going and how you’ll get there. It defines priorities, focuses resources, and helps people make aligned decisions.
Good strategy doesn’t try to do everything. It chooses what matters most—and why.