Drucker’s aphorism ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast’ neatly highlights one of the common disconnects in business. When decision-makers see culture, strategy, and processes of continual adaptation and change as separate and detached, they introduce unnecessary risks to strategic success and leave opportunities for their competitors to enjoy.
Managing these risks warrants decision-makers get closer to culture, to develop their understanding of it in more nuanced, actionable, and strategically meaningful ways. By letting go of notions of culture popularised in the 20th century and engaging with research based on the substantial advancements pioneered since, teams will be able to not only come to grips with the naturalised “taken-for-grantedness” that constrains them but open up to opportunities their uniqueness provide.