Your Culture Isn't What You Say—It's What You Tolerate | Part Two

Your organization’s true culture isn’t revealed by its mission statement—it’s revealed by what actually happens when no one is explaining what the culture is supposed to be.

In Part Two of Your Culture Isn't What You Say—It's What You Tolerate, host Chris Comeaux continues his thought-provoking conversation with author and leadership expert Tom Foster, moving from the theory of culture into the everyday behaviors, systems, and decisions that reveal what an organization truly believes. 

Tom challenges leaders to look beyond traditional KPIs and productivity measures and ask a more important question: Do the behaviors we measure and reward actually reflect our purpose?  Using the example of a home health nurse pressured to increase daily visits, Tom illustrates how an impressive productivity metric can still work against the very mission an organization claims to serve.

The conversation becomes a practical roadmap for leaders who want to intentionally shape culture.  Tom recommends starting not with aspirational values, but with observable behaviors—then examining the systems, customs, rituals, and realities that reinforce them.  Chris and Tom explore why leaders must “go see the work,” how seemingly small operational decisions can expose deeply held organizational values, and why strategy and culture cannot be separated.  

5 Key Takeaways

• Culture develops people, not just performance.  KPIs can measure productivity and behavior, but some of the most meaningful organizational transformation happens within people and is much harder to quantify.
• Your metrics may be revealing your real priorities.  Leaders should examine whether productivity expectations actually support—or unintentionally undermine—the organization’s purpose and beliefs.
• Start culture change by examining behavior.  Tom recommends identifying what people actually do, then exploring the realities, customs, rituals, and organizational systems that reinforce those behaviors.
• Leaders need to experience the organization’s reality firsthand.  Even something as simple as who receives priority parking can reveal what an organization truly values and whom its systems are designed to serve.
• Fresh eyes are essential for transformation.  Organizations can become trapped in patterns created by yesterday’s assumptions.  Meaningful change requires leaders to reconsider familiar situations, accept responsibility, and see their culture from a new perspective.
  
  

What does your organization’s behavior say about what you truly believe?

This episode will challenge you to look beyond the values on the wall, the metrics on the dashboard, and the culture you intend to create.  Examine what your organization actually rewards, permits, prioritizes, and repeats—because those behaviors may tell you more about your culture than any mission statement ever could.

Show Transcript

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