During annual strategy meetings managers use all kinds of statistics, projections, charts, and graphs to support and defend their plans for the upcoming year. Culture, the single biggest determinant in the success or failure of a manager’s plans, rarely, if ever, makes it onto the agenda. Defining a company’s culture and changing it to serve the business is the surest way to ensure plans succeed. Ignoring the impact of culture greatly increases the risk of failure.

Wikipedia defines culture as “the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution, organization, or group.” Culture may also be practically defined as the combination of written and unwritten operating procedures that describe how things are decided and get done in an organization. Ensuring that the culture supports the organization’s objectives improves the odds for success.

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