How leadership shapes organisational culture

As we all know, one cannot measure culture, nor can one manage it – one can only feel and influence cultures and subcultures. In this article, I reflect on two entirely different subcultures that I experienced within 10 days of each other: one at a production site in Mexico and the second on a plane between Austria and Crete. Both subcultures were shaped by the leaders of their respective teams.

I have visited this specific Mexican operation over many years and have witnessed continuous improvement in standards, team spirit, and leadership in safety and health, as well as development of the site’s culture and subcultures among departments, shifts, and teams. 

Developing the desired culture does not happen by chance; it requires significant effort from leadership to provide a working environment that enables all to contribute to and influence the culture and subcultures. As with all visits, my time at the Mexican site began with an opening presentation by members of the site’s management team. This included an overview of the site, their products, profits, achievements, quality metrics, and safety and health statistics. 

The true test, however, is always to see whether what one hears in the opening presentations aligns with what one sees and feels when walking on the shop floor, through production areas, logistics, maintenance workshops, hygiene facilities, canteens, and more. On this occasion, it was once again encouraging to discover that not only did the conditions on site match what was described by the management team during the presentation – they actually exceeded what we had heard.

Reflections – my ritual

At the end of my visit, I boarded the long flight back home from Mexico City to Vienna and, as usual, pulled out my notepad. Reflecting on the leadership style, the openness of the employees, the conditions of the site, and the cultures and subcultures that I experienced was inspiring and once again made me proud of the company I have served for the past 38 years.

A question we posed in our book Real Meeting was how often leaders practice self-reflection. Sometimes I use my notepad, other times I write on the “sick bag” available in the seat pocket of the plane. Reflection is something that leaders often neglect to do.

Feeling and influencing the culture and subcultures

Developing the desired culture and subcultures starts with leadership and encompasses many aspects. These include language (spoken and unspoken), signs and symbols, rituals, artifacts, semiotics, attitudes and beliefs, behaviours, heroes and villains, and understanding what causes stress (both positive and negative). 

Sadly, in traditional safety approaches, many of these issues are overlooked when discussing culture and subcultures. Having a low number of injuries does not necessarily indicate a good company culture, while a high number of injuries does not mean a bad company culture. However, when considering the aspects mentioned earlier, along with many others, one gets a sense of the prevailing culture and subcultures. Talking to employees and contractors on site is clearly key to feeling the culture. 

Language

Leaders should be aware that their spoken and unspoken language is significant, as team members and employees pay attention both to what is said and what actions follow. Leaders should refrain from “double speak”. Sometimes, what is not said can be more powerful than what is said. If leaders claim to care about their employees and are open to discussion – but avoid walking the shop floor or fail to engage with employees when there – trust is lost. People get the feeling that they, as well as their work, are unimportant to the leaders. 

Most companies use slogans and mantras, but these mean nothing if they are not lived. As mentioned, when walking the shop floor at the Mexican site, it was clear that what the leadership team had shared during the opening presentation was the reality. There was no double speak; the team walked the talk, and trust was palpable when engaging with employees.

Understanding rituals, myths, and beliefs

Working in multinational companies with many different cultures, leaders need to acknowledge the various cultures and subcultures, as well as different rituals, myths, and beliefs. At the Mexican site, it was clear that religion was important to the employees, and it was good to see that site leadership understood this and allowed employees to maintain their rituals and religious signs and symbols. While walking the site, I observed small statues of the crucifix, pictures of various religious figures, and a rosary hanging from a mirror in the female cloakroom. This is no different from operations in the Middle East, where facilities are provided for prayer, as well as foot-washing stations prior to afternoon prayers and devotions.

Leadership engagement

When walking the site, the members of the leadership team who accompanied us continuously engaged with employees, connecting with them by discussing personal and work-related issues, as well as safety concerns. As visitors to the site, we did the same, and it was clear that the employees appreciated the interaction and open discussions. Any leader who believes that engagement with employees and contractors on the shop floor is unimportant or of little value is living in a dream world.

Flight to Heraklion, Crete

Two weeks after returning from my visit to Mexico, I was travelling on an airline that I have previously noted I avoid if possible. This time, there were no other flights available, so I found myself boarding a flight on my least preferred airline once again.

Sitting in the second row of the plane, I asked if I could move to the vacant seat in the first row (which was the same class of ticket that I had) to have more space for writing this article. What followed was my first unpleasant experience of the flight: a rude and stern “No” from the purser. I immediately thought, “Here we go again” – no change since my previous experiences with this airline’s cabin crew.

Shortly after making it clear that I was not permitted to sit one seat ahead, she made announcements that went something like: “Welcome to the flight to Heraklion. The flight time will be two hours and ten minutes. Please keep your seatbelt fastened even if the seatbelt sign is switched off. This is a non-smoking flight; please refrain from smoking in the lavatories as they are fitted with smoke detectors.”

Then came the most ironic comment of all: “Please sit back, relax, enjoy the flight. We are here for you and to make your flight comfortable and relaxing.” How remarkable – just minutes earlier, she had firmly denied my request to sit in an empty seat where I would be more comfortable while using my laptop. This was double-talk at its finest.

Her leadership style – or rather, management style – soon became apparent. One of her cabin crew members, a gentleman in his mid-thirties, was about to discover how his flight would be dominated by someone who had no concept of leading a team, working together, listening, supporting, or showing genuine care for her team or paying customers.

Throughout the flight, the purser’s attitude and style clearly stressed the three cabin crew members. They were talked down to and bossed around, and their body language, eye-rolling, and facial expressions revealed their discomfort.

While they were being told what to do, “Madam Purser” sat on a chair in the galley eating a slice of pizza wrapped in foil. Later came another surprising incident: after she had moved to the rear of the plane, the male crew member answered a call on the phone at the front of the cabin. He was visibly unhappy as he opened one of the lockers, took out the water bottle I had earlier seen the purser drinking from, and poured water into a cup. I watched on as he walked down the aisle to the back of the plane and handed the cup of water to Madam Purser, who drank it and handed the empty cup back to him. I presumed that she had called requesting “room service”. 

Summary

Within 10 days, I had experienced two entirely different styles of leadership: a leadership team in Mexico that demonstrated true leadership strengths, and a purser who likely considers herself a leader, but is merely a manager.

The team spirit at the Mexican site was exceptional. One could feel the positive culture and subcultures when walking through production areas and talking with employees. There was a sense of belonging, pride, team spirit, and friendliness, with open, honest discussions and engagement among all.

On the plane, the situation was clearly the opposite of this. The body language of the cabin crew members revealed their discomfort when the purser instructed them on what to do and how to behave, showing no humanising approach to her team. The subculture of this team was palpable to me, and I’m extremely grateful not to work in such an environment. 

These were two completely different subcultures, and there is no doubt in my mind that I would prefer to work with the Mexican operation. There, I felt inspired to be among a team with a sense of belonging, who understood the importance of genuine connection, engagement, and the positive aspects of social relationships. 

I urge leaders to get out on the shop floor, engage with and talk to people, consider the various aspects that contribute to cultures and subcultures, and thereby understand and feel them. Visit working areas at different times, covering different shifts, and engage with various teams. This will not only develop trust but will also show care and contribute to a positive culture and subcultures.

Remember, sometimes immeasurable things are as important as those that can be measured. Culture and subcultures are among these – they cannot be measured or managed, but they can be felt and influenced.