Culture Change isn't Real (Academically Speaking)
FrequencyFebruary 26, 202600:12:14

Culture Change isn't Real (Academically Speaking)

Rob Briner's latest post surfaces a CIPD evidence review with a blunt conclusion: there's no consensus on what organizational culture is, no reliable way to measure it, and no good evidence that culture change programs actually work. At best, culture describes behavior — it doesn't cause it.

Chuck and Jenni don't fully disagree. They just think the real question isn't whether culture exists — it's why we keep trying to change it from the top down instead of changing the systems, incentives, and behaviors underneath it. Jenni's climate vs. culture framing is worth the listen alone.

For comms pros handed a "culture transformation" mandate: the practical move might be to keep using the word and quietly shift what you actually do.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rob-briner_%F0%9D%97%A2%F0%9D%97%A5%F0%9D%97%9A%F0%9D%97%94%F0%9D%97%A1%F0%9D%97%9C%F0%9D%97%AD%F0%9D%97%94%F0%9D%97%A7%F0%9D%97%9C%F0%9D%97%A2%F0%9D%97%A1%F0%9D%97%94%F0%9D%97%9F-%F0%9D%97%96%F0%9D%97%A8%F0%9D%97%9F%F0%9D%97%A7%F0%9D%97%A8%F0%9D%97%A5-activity-7427430445451010048-PXgp