Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast

What did you have for breakfast this morning?

Your strategy? Perhaps…

It’s often said that “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”

What does this memorable but somewhat obscure leadership principle mean? The early bird gets the worm, so it also gets breakfast. In other words if the two don’t align, your culture will overrule your strategy – regardless of how good it might be.

How?

Pause for a moment and consider the deeper meanings of both words:

Strategy is a plan of action to achieve major aims.

Culture is the beliefs and behaviours
shared by a social group.

Which means strategic planning isn’t just about the strategic plan. It is as much about – or even more about – how you involve your people during the development of your strategy. Aligning everyone’s beliefs and behaviours with your major aims.

So your culture and strategy can eat breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Together.