GET YOUR CULTURE RIGHT, AND EVERYTHING ELESE GETS EASIER
All organisations want a strong culture, but few know how to build one. And fewer still know how to make it stick.
Culture doesn't fail because people resist it. Culture fails because the approach is flawed.
This is where Kara brings clarity, structure and expertise.
WHY CULTURE FAILS (THE REAL BANANA SKINS)
1. Values chosen because they “sound good,” not because they’re true. Some organisations pick impressive words from Google.
• They aren’t authentic.
• People don’t believe them.
• Nobody remembers them, and nobody uses them.
2. Leadership not aligned on what culture actually means. Different leaders behave differently.
Different teams interpret culture differently.
This creates confusion, inconsistency and drift.
3. No clear behaviours to support the values
Values without behaviours are vague.
People need to know:
• What it looks like,
• What it sounds like,
• What they must start doing, and what they must stop doing.
4. Culture designed in a boardroom — not lived on the front line. Leaders choose values without involving the people who must live them. The culture never reaches reality.
5. No long-term embedding plan. Most cultures are launched with enthusiasm… and forgotten within weeks. No reinforcement = no change. These are the banana skins. We help leaders avoid them — and build a culture that lasts.
THE KARA CULTURE REFRESH
Practical. Structured. Evidence-based. Commercial.
Culture must be built as a programme, not an event.
We use a simple, powerful and proven approach: the 4Ds.
THE 4Ds OF CULTURE TRANSFORMATION
Explore your Current Culture Type
Score your organisation on the horizontal axis:
How fast does you organisation move?
1 = slow, cautious, inward-looking
10 = fast-paced, outward-looking, entrepreneurial
Next, score the vertical axis:
What drives you more, people or tasks?
1 = highly task-focused
10 = highly people-oriented
Where the two scores intersect reveals the quadrant you currently operate in… Kindred,Avant-Garde, Regimented or Action.
This is your default culture style today.
But the more important question is this:
Is your current culture the one you need to achieve your ambitions?
Many organisations discover a gap between where they are and where they need to be.
That gap is your opportunity and your roadmap for culture refresh.
THE 13 VALUES — A STARTING POINT, NOT A TEMPLATE
Over 35 years of practice and doctoral research, we have identified the 13 values that consistently drive culture and performance. We will help you to select the ones that best suit your heritage and ambition.
This list is not your culture. It is a starting lens, the raw material. Your values will always be personalised, distinctive and anchored to your heritage and purpose.
Disclaimer: The 13 Values are the intellectual framework of Dr Alan O’Neill. They serve as a starting diagnostic lens only. Your organisation’s final values will be designed uniquely for you through the 4Ds process.
CULTURE IN PRACTICE: SELFRIDGES
(SHORT CASE STUDY)
Selfridges engaged us to refresh their culture during a major transformation.
By uncovering their real behavioural patterns, linking values to their rich heritage and defining signature behaviours for leaders and teams, we helped reignite pride, consistency and execution across the organisation.
Here is the full story in a free downloadable eBook.
WHY LEADERS CHOOSE KARA FOR CULTURE REFRESH
We don’t just help you write values. We help you live them.
• 35+ years advising global organisations
• Doctoral-level research on culture, alignment and change
• Clear, practical frameworks that leaders actually use
• Expertise in reducing resistance and increasing buy-in
• A unique ability to link values to heritage and North Star
• Proven embedding techniques for long-term behaviour change
• Tailored programmes, never generic slide decks
NEXT STEP
If your culture doesn’t feel aligned…
If your values aren’t used…
If your people can’t repeat them…
If culture feels like a banana skin — it’s time for a Culture Refresh.
Unleash Your Business Potential.
Align, Execute, Succeed
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