A is for Action: Everyday Actions Can Shift Culture

Actions shape culture.

When leaders are deliberate and lead culture on purpose, they can shift their culture in meaningful ways. Your actions—what you do, how you do it, and what you don’t do—send powerful signals that shape the environment around you.

Your team is always watching. They notice the gap between what you promise and what you practice. They’re tuned in to what you prioritise, what you tolerate, and what you let slide.

Role Modelling Matters

As a leader, you set the tone. Your actions ripple through the organisation, amplifying the culture you create—whether intentional or not.

It’s not just what you do, but what you tolerate that defines your culture. When you fail to hold someone accountable or ignore poor behaviour, it sends a message. Over time, these moments accumulate, layer by layer, shaping the unwritten rules of your workplace.

Ask yourself:

• Are your actions aligned with the culture you want to create?
• What behaviours are you tolerating that might be working against your goals?

Leadership Actions as Multipliers

Every action you take—or don’t take—creates a ripple effect. From the words you choose to the behaviours you reward, you are a multiplier of culture.

The question isn’t whether your actions are shaping culture—it’s how they’re shaping it. Are you leading culture intentionally, or are you leaving it to chance?

Small, deliberate actions, consistently practiced, have the power to shift culture in significant ways.

Try This Reflection

Think about your last week as a leader:

• What actions or decisions demonstrated the culture you want to create?
• What messages might you have unintentionally sent through inaction or silence?