Does ‘culture eat strategy for breakfast’?

This famous saying, attributed to management guru Peter Drucker, is catchy, and it’s (partially) true. You can have the best strategy ever written, but if you don’t have the culture to support execution, it will remain words on a page.

However, it’s also important to note that the opposite is also true. You can have the most wonderful, supportive culture, but you won’t achieve your goals without a clear, executable strategy.

Think of strategy as the GPS you follow on a road trip and culture as the car you drive. You need a reliable car to enjoy the ride and get where you want to go, just as much as you need to know where you are going.

So, today, I want to discuss how strategy and culture are two sides of the same coin –and how they both deserve a seat at breakfast!

Culture fuels strategy…

Culture isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a must-have. It shapes the way strategies are dreamed up, shared and implemented. Strong, empathetic cultures create spaces where people are excited to trade ideas, take smart risks and work together. When the culture aligns with the company’s strategy, things move faster, adapt quicker and bounce back stronger.

… And strategy shapes culture

A well-defined strategy is a guide that will shape the culture. And, in turn, the culture becomes the basis for execution. The right culture will help you achieve executional excellence and drive the strategy forward, taking it from words on a page to a living reality.

A clear strategy and clarity on the culture are both required to deliver on the strategy, helping everyone understand their roles and the behaviours that are celebrated. This way, the strategy not only moves the company forward but also strengthens the culture, ensuring everyone is pulling in the same direction.

Balancing the scales

Saying that strategy eats culture for breakfast is like saying the heart is more important than the lungs. Much like these organs rely on each other to keep a body alive, strategy and culture rely on each other for an organisation’s health and success.

If you’re steering the ship, here are a few areas to consider to get things working in harmony:

Foster a culture that complements and supports your strategic goals by celebrating the behaviours and actions that align with your goals while calling out those that do the opposite.
Keep everyone in the loop with open and transparent communication on the strategic goals and cultural expectations – not just at annual events but as regular progress updates to maintain a connection to the strategy year-round.
Ensure your strategy can be cascaded into clear actions and expectations at every level. If everyone understands how their actions and behaviours play a role in the broader strategy, you’ll be much closer to working as a united team.
Set the example with your own actions as a leader. And when you’ve gone wrong (no one is perfect), recognise and rectify it.