Craig Raath weighs in…

In the corporate jungle, there’s one beast everyone’s trying to tame—company culture. It’s that elusive, invisible force driving everything from employee engagement to bottom-line profits. But here’s the million-dollar question: When it comes to hitting the reset button on culture, who’s in the driver’s seat? Is it the leadership steering the ship, or are the employees working the oars? Spoiler alert—it’s both, but not in the way you might think.

The Leadership Gambit: Setting the Stage, but Not the Script

Leadership often views themselves as the great sculptors of company culture, chiselling away at mission statements and core values until the perfect corporate statue emerges. While leaders indeed play a pivotal role, believing they can dictate culture from the top-down is a mistake. Here’s why.

Steps for Leaders:

1. Empower Ownership: Create an environment where employees feel like co-owners of the culture, fostering a sense of accountability and involvement across the organisation.
2. Engage Continuously: Shift from formal annual reviews to regular, informal check-ins. Leaders should act as mentors, not just managers, to cultivate a thriving work environment.
3. Drive Fairness: Regularly review policies to promote inclusivity and fairness, eliminating biases and ensuring equitable opportunities.
4. Build Trust: Establish a culture of psychological safety where employees feel comfortable taking risks and sharing ideas without fear of negative repercussions.

The Employee Engine: Owning the Culture

When employees see themselves as co-owners of the company culture, not just workers, the magic happens. Ownership breeds engagement, innovation, and a more vibrant work environment.

Steps for Employees:

1. Be Proactive: Take the initiative and seek opportunities to add value—don’t wait for instructions.
2. Embrace Accountability: Take ownership of your role and its outcomes, consistently striving to improve and learn from mistakes.
3. Engage in Continuous Learning: Continuously expand your skills and apply them to contribute meaningfully to the company.
4. Give and Receive Feedback: Foster a dynamic culture by both giving and accepting feedback, ensuring responsiveness to challenges and opportunities.

Alignment: Bridging the Gap Between Leadership and Staff

A culture reset only works when leadership and staff are aligned. Alignment ensures everyone is moving toward the same goals, with a shared understanding of values and expectations.

Steps to Achieve Alignment:

1. Communicate with Clarity: Leadership must clearly convey the company’s vision and values, creating ongoing dialogue where employees feel involved in shaping the culture.
2. Shared Purpose: Link individual roles to the broader company mission, reinforcing how employees’ efforts contribute to the organisation's success.
3. Mutual Respect: Build mutual respect by recognising the unique contributions of each team member and valuing diverse perspectives.
4. Collaborative Goal Setting: Involve employees in setting goals that are challenging yet achievable, aligning personal aspirations with company objectives.
5. Feedback Loops: Establish continuous feedback channels to share insights between leadership and employees, fostering a cohesive and aligned culture.

The Real Reset: It’s a Partnership

So, who’s responsible for the culture reset? The truth is, it’s a partnership. Leaders lay the groundwork, but it’s the employees who bring it to life. It’s a dance between structure and spontaneity, vision and execution. Companies that find this balance won’t just survive—they’ll thrive.

About 21st Century:

21st Century is one of the largest Business and People Solutions consultancies in Africa, offering sustainable business solutions underpinned by exceptional analytics and research. The company specialises in remuneration, organisational design, change management, and human capital services, serving over 1,700 clients across sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.

For more information, visit www.21century.co.za or contact Craig Raath, Executive Director, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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