You’ve probably heard your boss in some environments say, “This is the way we do things around here.” This helps to establish the tone of what they consider acceptable and what they expect. While this may seem straightforward, many organizations are unable to “walk the walk” as much as they “talk the talk”. There’s a disparity between what’s said and what’s done; in other words, this eventually leads to confusion about what the actual culture of the business is. Culture is largely driven by leadership behavior, which means that when leaders are seen to “walk the walk” as much as they “talk the talk”, this becomes the norm.
Psychology Today stated that when trying to understand what the culture of an organization is all about, one should consider behavior, especially when no one is watching. Edgar Schein, an expert in organizational behavior, also noted that culture tends to emerge from repeated behavior in handling challenges and issues, with leadership playing a key role in this process, an atricle in the ERE.net states.
Most problems start when there is a disconnect between the values stated and the actual actions that were taken. Employees are quick to notice when leaders promote fairness but show favoritism towards a particular person, or when they focus on collaboration while rewarding individual competition. Contradictions like these can create doubt about what truly matters in the organization.
Such inconsistencies often lead employees to question the authenticity of leadership and the credibility of workplace values, as noted in Psychology Today. Employee engagement is tied closely to these perceptions. When actions and values align, employees tend to feel more committed and motivated, and when they do not, morale can decline. Employees may begin to disengage because expectations feel unclear or unreliable, not because of workload. This uncertainty can reduce initiative and weaken overall productivity, according to the Psychology Today.
This mismanagement happens due to several reasons. Leaders might face pressure to meet short-term goals, which can shift the focus away from maintaining consistent behavior. There could be a lack of awareness about how their actions are perceived in other cases. Organizational structures and unclear communication can also contribute to this, which makes it difficult for leaders to consistently apply cultural principles, reports ERE.net.
The effects of this gap go beyond simple daily interactions. Organizations may experience a decrease in trust and higher turnover rates. Employees are more likely to leave environments where they feel that words and actions do not match, which creates additional strain on teams and can slow long-term progress. Employees may experience stress or frustration when faced with unclear expectations on a personal level. This can, over time, lead to emotional fatigue and reduced motivation. Some may withdraw from active participation, while others may limit their effort as a way to cope with the uncertainty.
Efficient communication is a practical solution to a wide range of these problems. When we communicate what is required and demonstrate it through our actions, employees are better able to understand it and do it in the same way. “The ability to connect what we say with what we do is critical to building a stable culture”, as emphasized by ERE.net. Culture is not just built on what we say but on what we do; when we fail to connect what we say with what we do, we get mixed signals. It is important to understand what enables us to grasp how culture really works in the workplace, and why leadership behavior is so important in shaping it.