You don't change culture; you embody it.
This article draws from Judith Glaser's vision of organizational "Change" — with a sharp focus on Culture Transformation. I broke down 10 key principles she champions.
1. Culture = What's Normal Here
Forget slogans. Culture is what people do when no one's watching — or when everyone's afraid to speak. It's the invisible rulebook:
Who's allowed to challenge authority?
Who gets credit?
Who stays silent to stay safe?
When those norms are toxic, no rebranding will save you. Culture isn't what you say but what you tolerate.
2. You Don't Fix a Culture with a Slide Deck
Many organizations fail their "culture change" initiatives because they approach them solely as communication campaigns.
They announce values, display posters everywhere, and conduct workshops, but ultimately, nothing changes. Why? Because behaviors don't follow slogans, they follow incentives, safety, and trust.
If people don't feel safe speaking up or disagreeing with leadership, they'll fake alignment. And the rot continues.
3. Push Creates Resistance. Always.
According to Judith Glaser, the biggest trap is to try "installing" a culture like a software update. She calls this the push strategy: Leaders try to force behavior change top-down, assuming compliance equals success.
She considers that this "pressure" creates pushback, and the more you try to "roll out" a culture without involving people, the more silently they'll reject it.
4. Conversation Is the Real Culture Strategy
No surprise, culture should not be led as a project but like a shared language, built on recurring, open, organization-wide conversations:
What are our biggest challenges?
What kind of team do we want to be?
What are we building, together?
Whether you're a 10-person startup or a global giant like IBM, Glaser explains that you can't lead people who don't feel heard.
5. The Leader's Role? Create the Space for Truth
Great leaders don't set culture alone — they set the tone for truth. Example: VeriSign's CEO made one rule for meetings after multiple acquisitions:
"Put the tough stuff on the table."
Not because conflict is fun, but because ignoring tension kills trust. If your meetings avoid the real issues, your culture avoids accountability.
6. Healthy Culture Lives in Everyday Conversations
Culture doesn't change at the offsite, but in the daily interactions:
How do we provide feedback?
Whether dissent is punished or rewarded.
Who gets airtime in the room.
Every conversation, every behavior you have, nudges culture forward or backward. As a Manager, don't wait for HR; start with your next sentence.
7. The 7 "CHANGES" Genes That Shape a Culture
Glaser's CHANGES model identifies seven cultural "genes":
Gene Description:
C — Co-creation: Don't announce the plan. Build it with your people.
H — Humanizing: Move from judgment to appreciation. Recognize effort, not just output.
A — Aspirations: Share dreams, not just tasks. Aspiration activates energy.
N — Navigating: Share power. Eliminate territoriality and information hoarding.
G — Generativity: Encourage new ideas. Avoid consensus for comfort's sake.
E — Expression: Give people a voice. Control stifles innovation.
S — Spirit: Celebrate collective wins. Normalize reinvention after failure.
8. Culture Is Everyone's Responsibility
Glaser considers that culture doesn't belong to the C-suite. Whether you're a new hire or an exec, she recommends considering three practices to build cultural health:
Raise flags. Speak up before issues metastasize.
Give feedback. Candid, clean, and focused on progress.
Look forward. Stop policing the past. Start shaping what's next.
In three words: Be the standard.
9. "We" > "I" > "They"
Glaser explains that culture evolution only happens when people:
Share information freely.
Collaborate across status lines.
Think "we," not "me vs. them."
Territorial behavior signals fear, not strength.
Scarcity mindset = protect territory.
"WE" mindset = share insights, break silos, build trust.
Culture dies when people hoard power or information.
10. The Only Culture Hack That Works: Be the Change
Continuing the idea of point 8, if you're waiting for someone else to change so you can act differently. You're the culture problem.
Start with you and model what you want others to do:
Speak with candor.
Invite collaboration.
Treat culture like your job — because it is.
Remember: Culture isn't taught – it's transmitted.
I hope you enjoy reading that. If you'd like to buy Judith Glaser's book, Creating We: Change I-Thinking to We-Thinking and Build a Healthy, Thriving Organization, it's available at this link.
To Your Solidity,
Olivier KAMEL