When evolving business strategies, alignment with company culture is key to long-term success. Take the example of a luxury fashion retailer expanding into the Asia-Pacific market—misaligned strategies led to a 15% market share loss. After realigning with local cultures, they bounced back with a 20% gain in just a year. Companies that get this right can see up to 40% more revenue over three years. Culture isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a business advantage. (Sources: Flevy, AcademyFlex)

South Africa's business landscape with 12 official languages: Aligning strategies with culture is vital, our Leadership Book Club dives into strategies on the same topic but written from different perspectives, we then interrogate these strategies via enneagram & team styles. Enneagram-Driven Leadership: Analyse varied perspectives, fostering self-awareness & addressing biases in comms/implementation. Personal Style-Informed Implementation: Tailored comms & tasks to align with team strengths. Culturally Anchored Execution: Strategies respect values, and diverse approaches, 1+1 does not always = 2. Embracing inclusive culturally sensitive approaches, ensures strategies resonate, which will enhance successful adoption & implementation.

Business strategies must evolve, but do they align with your company’s culture? Too often, companies chase innovation at the cost of their identity, leading to resistance and disengagement. Test for Alignment – Does this reinforce your core values or pull you away from them? Engage Your Team – Culture isn’t a slogan; employees live it. Involve them early. Lead with Transparency – Change is unsettling, but silence is worse. Show how strategy strengthens, not replaces, what makes your company great. Great businesses adapt without losing who they are. Does your strategy reflect your culture?

When evolving business strategies, I ensure alignment with company culture by involving key stakeholders early in the process. I assess how proposed changes resonate with core values, mission, and employee expectations. By fostering open communication and gathering feedback, I identify potential cultural misalignments and address them proactively. I also emphasize the "why" behind the changes, connecting them to the company’s long-term vision. This approach ensures that strategies not only drive growth but also strengthen and reflect the organization’s culture.

To ensure that changing business strategies are consistent with company culture, clearly establish your organization's core values and mission. Involve employees in the strategy-making process to encourage a sense of ownership and guarantee cultural alignment. Continuously share how strategic efforts reflect and support these values, ensuring transparency and cohesion. Alignment improves execution and maintains organizational integrity.

For me business strategies only work if they feel right meaning they align with the values that built the company in the first place. Whenever I tweak things, I ask "Does this still reflect who we are and what we stand for?" If not, it’s a hard NO. Growth is great but not at the cost of culture. The best strategies make business better without losing what makes it special.