Let’s clear up a myth: culture is not common sense. If it were, we wouldn’t see workplaces where silence replaces feedback, micromanagement replaces trust, and burnout replaces engagement. We wouldn’t need to explain that bullying isn’t leadership, that inclusion isn’t optional, and that values are not just posters on the wall. If culture were common sense, then every organization would be thriving. But we know that’s not the case. Culture doesn’t happen by accident – and neither does culture mastery. That’s why deliberate, consistent training and awareness on organizational culture must move from the “optional” column to the “non-negotiables” list for any business serious about performance, purpose, and people.
Culture Is a System, Not a Slogan
Organizational culture is not about being nice or hosting casual Fridays. It’s a structured system of shared behaviors, expectations, values, and symbols that influence how people behave and make decisions. According to McKinsey & Company, companies that align their culture with their strategy are three times more likely to achieve high performance. Yet too often, culture remains misunderstood or untrained – especially in organizations where short-term survival eclipses long-term excellence.
Untrained Culture is Costly Culture
In Sub-Saharan Africa, only 20 percent of employees are engaged at work, while a staggering 63 percent are not engaged, and 17 percent are actively disengaged, according to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace report. This means the majority of our workforce is simply “getting through the day” – not emotionally invested, not mentally energized, and not culturally aligned. The ripple effects of this are enormous: poor customer service, internal conflict, high turnover, and stalled innovation. Culture training isn’t just about engagement – it’s about unlocking energy. It’s about teaching people how to show up better, lead better, and collaborate better.
Training Isn’t Just for HR – It’s for Everyone
Let’s dismantle the idea that culture is HR’s job. Culture is everyone’s responsibility, and so is the training that shapes it.
As Edgar Schein, the father of modern organizational culture theory, put it: “The only thing of real importance that leaders do is to create and manage culture.” But here’s the challenge: most leaders were never trained in how to do that. They’re promoted for performance, not for emotional intelligence or cultural competence. The result? Unintentional dysfunction – even in the hands of well-meaning managers. We don’t just need people trained to do their jobs. We need people trained to build the kind of environment where great work becomes possible.
Long-Term Training = Long-Term Thinking
Deloitte reports that 82 percent of global executives believe culture is a competitive advantage, yet only 19 percent believe they have the right culture in place. That gap between what’s valued and what’s practiced is where culture training becomes indispensable. Short-term incentives cannot fix long-term culture misalignment. You can’t performance-manage your way out of a disengaged culture. You build alignment through clarity, consistency, and coaching. Training transforms vague values into visible behaviors. It equips every employee to play their part in something bigger than themselves.
Culture Training Builds Better Leaders
The World Health Organization has now classified burnout as an occupational phenomenon. And yet, Gallup reports that in Africa, stress, disengagement, and a lack of psychological safety remain critical issues – all of which are symptoms of poor culture. Culture training empowers leaders to:
- Spot disengagement early
- Navigate difficult conversations with empathy
- Lead with integrity and humility
- Model the values they expect from others
In doing so, they create the kind of workplace that not only performs but thrives.
Culture Awareness Is Culture Power
The power of culture training isn’t just in what it teaches – it’s in what it reveals. It gives people language. It gives them clarity. It helps them name what they’re experiencing – and gives them tools to change it. As Peter Drucker famously said, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” But let’s take it further: Culture devours good intentions when there’s no training to support them. Without awareness, even the best strategies will unravel.
Culture Training Should Be Strategic, Not Cosmetic
Let’s stop treating culture as a checkbox or branding exercise. Real culture training is:
- Ongoing, not once-off
- Practical, not theoretical
- Embedded in the organization, not outsourced to HR
Companies with strong learning cultures are 92 percent more likely to develop innovative products and processes, according to Bersin by Deloitte. That’s not fluff. That’s a strategic return on investment.
In the End, Culture Is the Work
We cannot talk about high performance, retention, sustainability, merit, or transformation without talking about the culture that makes all of those things possible. Culture is not a side project. It is the project. And yet, if it drives everything – from morale to mission, from inclusion to innovation – why aren’t we training for it? It’s time we put culture where it belongs: at the center of how we build, lead, and grow.
What are you doing to equip your people to build the culture you say you want? Start with training. Sustain with intention. In 2025, Botswana will spotlight the organizations that are leading with culture. Begin your journey now – the spotlight will find you later. At People Interface, we are creating national awareness on organizational culture. For your organizational culture training needs, email team@peopleinterface.com today to begin your journey.
