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Lisa Bodell: Culture isn’t what you say, it’s what you do
When it comes to setting the a tone for your organization, actions speak louder than words.
In a Fast Company article, Lisa Bodell argues that company culture isn’t built through long frameworks or values posted on walls—it’s built through everyday actions. Drawing on Ben Horowitz’s idea that “what you do is who you are,” Bodell emphasizes that culture is something employees experience, not something leaders announce. The choices leaders make, especially when no one is watching, shape how people treat one another and whether trust grows or erodes. As leadership expert Dan Pontefract notes, culture is contagious: behavior that’s rewarded—good or bad—inevitably spreads.
Bodell contrasts two high-profile examples. At Uber, leaders talked about values like empowerment and customer focus, but their actions fostered fear, burnout, and unethical behavior, eventually forcing a cultural reset after whistleblower Susan Fowler spoke out. At Microsoft, however, CEO Satya Nadella transformed the culture not by rewriting values, but by modeling empathy, curiosity, and learning—helping drive renewed innovation, employee engagement, and business success. The takeaway is simple but powerful: culture is not what leaders say in meetings; it’s what they consistently do. When actions align with words, trust builds. When they don’t, culture quietly breaks down.
Visit Fast Company to read the full article.
Lisa Bodell is a leading expert on innovation, simplifying complexity, and creating impactful organizational change. Her dynamic approach to leadership and efficiency empowers companies to embrace creativity, streamline processes, and foster a culture of innovation. As an author and founder of FutureThink, Bodell’s insights provide actionable strategies for companies to thrive in an ever-evolving business landscape. To bring Lisa Bodell’s expertise to your event, contact WWSG.
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