Why Your Culture Isn’t Changing (and What to Do About It)

Matt Davies
Aug 22
3 min read

Culture is easy to talk about. Much harder to build.

In my work as a consultant, I often meet leaders with ambitious plans: growth opportunities, scaling up, going global, reshaping their offer, positioning their business for success etc etc. They refresh their brand messaging + strategy (I often help with this). Big statements are made - vision, mission, values. They’re inspiring.

These leaders understand their people and their culture are central to the success of the plan. And they really believe in what I'm advising them on - that brands are built inside and then out. They do all they can to engage, excite and energise their people. Launch events, town-halls, workshops, training, away days, performance management, behaviours frameworks and the like.

But then... nothing much changes.

Teams nod along, but day-to-day behaviours stay the same. Leaders get frustrated:

"Why isn’t this working?"
"Why don’t people act on what we’ve declared?"

The answer lies in a misunderstanding of what culture actually is - and what it takes to shift it.

The three levels of culture

In his landmark book Organisational Culture and Leadership, Edgar Schein outlines three levels of culture that every leader should understand. They explain why powerful statements alone rarely lead to real change.

Here’s a quick summary:

Level 1 – Artefacts (What’s seen)

These are the visible behaviours and processes. How customers are treated. How feedback is handled. How managers lead. How innovation is encouraged—or not. What’s seen on the surface is the result of deeper forces.

Level 2 – Espoused Beliefs & Values (What’s said)

These are the declared values, goals, and ideals. They live in handbooks, onboarding decks, wall posters, and town halls. Brand strategy lives here too—vision, mission, values. It’s what the company says it stands for.

Level 3 – Basic Underlying Assumptions (What’s believed)

These are deep, often unconscious beliefs about how things really work. They're not written down, but everyone knows them. They’re shaped by past leadership decisions, stories, and unspoken norms. They drive how people actually behave.

To build a culture that supports your brand’s ambitions, you need to align all three levels.

Most change management and culture strategy work happens in Levels 1 & 2. But if Level 3 assumptions aren’t addressed, then behaviours won’t shift - and your brand won't live through your people. That’s the gap where change gets stuck.

Culture isn’t accidental. It’s designed - intentionally or not. If you don’t shape it deliberately, it shapes itself. And it might not align with your strategic goals.

And branding? It’s not just external. The strongest brands are built inside and out. What your customers experience should mirror what your employees believe and live. Your internal culture and your external brand are two sides of the same coin.

Culture drives decision-making - big strategic choices and daily micro-decisions alike. If what’s believed contradicts what’s said, behaviour will default to the belief. Always.

What to do about it

So - if you've defined your strategy and the desired culture you need and you are struggling to shift your people into a new mindset - if change isn't happening - look at where the misalignment sits. I often advise leaders to ensure they have 'listening' posts. Usually these would be steering groups of employees from across their business. Typically these would be called "Culture Champions". These groups would meet on a regular basis and discuss and give their thoughts on key issues. Then these issues should be reported up to leadership for consideration. They should be safe spaces to allow people to express their views. A "Culture Champions" programme is a crucial part of change management, allowing you to monitor how messages are landing and what your people really think.

I find them helpful to do the real work of culture building: