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Most senior managers struggle with culture because it’s so difficult to define. Even less tangible than a “soft” concept, culture is more like a cloud: You know it’s there, but it’s nearly impossible to grasp. Wikipedia defines culture as “the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution, organization or group.” But how do you come to an agreement on those “shared” attitudes, values, goals, and practices? And even if you do, how do you get hundreds (or thousands) of people to think and act in the way you agreed upon?

The answer is that you don’t.

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In other words, culture is not a “goal” to be mandated, but the outcome of a collective set of behaviors.

- You Can’t Dictate Culture — but You Can Influence It