Imagine you're hosting a large family gathering, where every decision you make affects not just the flow of the event, but the mood and interactions of everyone present. This is the reality for CEOs and leaders when it comes to [company culture](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/articles/why-company-culture-matters-more-than-you-think).

A company's culture can make or break its success, and, as a leader, you must deeply understand how you directly and indirectly influence your work culture (for better or worse).  

Ahead of [CultureCon™ 2024 – Australia’s Workplace Culture Conference](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/events/a02RG000006ja0fYAA/overview) - let's look at the impact CEOs can have on culture and the importance of culture governance.

The reality for CEOs and leaders

There’s a saying that [“Leaders bring the weather.”](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/articles/leadersbringweatherpositiveleadership) Indeed, we’ve all experienced a gloomy boss casting a wide shadow over others at work.

As CultureCon™ speakers will explain, CEOs are the primary architects of organisational culture. Here are some actions CEOs can take and questions they should ask themselves to positively shape their company's culture:

CEO Culture Impact: Actions and Self-Reflection

**Lead by example**

Are you consistently demonstrating the values and behaviours you want to see in your organisation?

**Communicate clearly and often**

How effectively are you articulating your vision for the company's culture? Are you regularly reinforcing cultural messages?

**Listen actively**

Are you creating opportunities to hear from employees at all levels? How are you incorporating their feedback?

**Prioritise culture in decision-making**

Do your strategic decisions align with and reinforce your desired culture?

**Invest in people**

Are you allocating resources to employee [development](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/articles/developleadershipskills), [wellbeing](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/articles/wellbeingtips), and [engagement initiatives](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/articles/leadershipemployeeengagement)?

**Recognise and reward cultural alignment**

How are you acknowledging and promoting employees who embody your desired culture?

**Address cultural misalignments promptly**

Are you willing to make tough decisions when a team member (including a high performer who gets results) behaves in a way that doesn't align with your cultural values?

**Foster psychological safety**

Have you created a [psychologically safe environment](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/articles/whatispsychologicalsafety) where employees feel safe to speak up, share ideas, and admit mistakes?

**Embrace diversity and inclusion**

How are you ensuring [diverse perspectives](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/articles/diversityandinclusioninworkplace) are valued and included in your organisation? Do people feel they belong, and their differences are celebrated?

**Balance performance and wellbeing**

Are you creating a culture that drives [high performance](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/articles/olympian-mindset-can-inspire-your-own-high-performance) and results while also prioritising employee wellbeing?

Culture governance refers to the **systems**, **processes**, and **oversight mechanisms** that ensure an organisation's culture aligns with its values, goals, and legal/ethical requirements.

Here's what leaders can do to ensure effective culture governance:

**Establish a culture committee**

Create a cross-functional team responsible for monitoring and guiding cultural initiatives. Regularly assess whether your company policies align with and reinforce your desired culture.

**Develop cultural metrics**

Identify key performance indicators that reflect your desired culture and track them regularly. Conduct regular culture audits and implement feedback mechanisms.

**Integrate culture into risk management**

Consider cultural risks in your overall risk assessment and mitigation strategies. For instance, imagine a company with a “culture of silence” where high-performing executives can bully others but get away with it because no-one speaks up. This situation presents a serious cultural risk.

**Provide board oversight**

Ensure your board of directors is actively involved in culture governance, receiving regular updates and providing guidance.

**Offer culture-focused training**

Provide ongoing education for leaders and employees on cultural values and expectations. Show them [why culture matters](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/articles/why-company-culture-matters-more-than-you-think) more than they think. 

**Align rewards and recognition**

Reward the behaviours you wish to see continued. Ensure your compensation and promotion systems reinforce your cultural priorities.

**Promote transparency**

Regularly communicate about cultural initiatives, progress, and challenges to all stakeholders.

Culture Governance: Staying on Top of Your Organisation's Culture

In summary, a strong, positive culture isn't just good for employees and results —it's a major consideration when deciding and shaping what type of leader you want to be.

To explore these ideas further apply to attend [CultureCon™ 2024 – Australia’s Workplace Culture Conference](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/events/a02RG000006ja0fYAA/overview) in Sydney on October 22, 2024. This is an invitation only event, a partnership between Growth Faculty and The Culture Institute.

[Growth Faculty members](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/memberships/?campaign_id=701RG000006BNNhYAO&promo=BlogGF) benefit from a world-class [immersive live virtual learning program of events](https://thegrowthfaculty.ac-page.com/GF-Program-Download) - all included in their annual subscription. It’s an engaging and entertaining way to develop leaders.

Growth Faculty recently launched a good value [Enterprise plan](https://join.thegrowthfaculty.com/enterprise/) for **larger companies** to develop leadership skills across their whole organisation.

New events are being added regularly to this highly curated program. Keep an eye on the website Growthfaculty.com for fresh additions to the line-up.

For **higher level leaders,** including CEOs, there is an in-person [Good to Great® Immersion Workshop with Jim Collins](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/events/a02RG000002EGYsYAO/overview/?campaign_id=701RG00000ALpCMYA1&promo=Blog&type=Affiliate) in Chicago, U.S., in October 2024. This is exclusively for executive teams and numbers are limited.

Main photo by [Christina @ wocintechchat.com](https://unsplash.com/@wocintechchat?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/photos/woman-standing-near-wall-b6dfPNHa81w?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash)

Let’s Talk about CEO Impact on Culture & Culture Governance

How Leaders Affect Their Organisation's Future For Better or Worse

Keep informed
Stay Inspired

Let’s Talk about CEO Impact on Culture & Culture Governance

How Leaders Affect Their Organisation's Future For Better or Worse

Keep informedStay Inspired

Keep informed
Stay Inspired