Culture Change

Transparency is trust’s closest ally. It’s the habit of telling the truth, sharing not just the wins, but the worries. It doesn’t mean full disclosure of every fact, but it does mean explaining the thinking behind decisions. When people understand the “why,” they feel part of the journey. When they don’t, they fill the silence with suspicion. The two feed each other. The more transparent a leader becomes, the more trust they earn.

In the intricate tapestry of organisational life, two figures often stand out: the manager and the leader. While frequently used interchangeably, the distinction between them is not merely semantic; it’s fundamental to an organisation's very pulse and future direction. Attempts to impose leadership on individuals who are solely skilled in management can be counterproductive.

Many leaders speak in hushed tones about a generation that seems disengaged, avoids hierarchy, and brings an unsettling level of emotional candour to the workplace: The “Gen Z problem.” The issue isn’t Gen Z; it’s that we’re trying to fit them into a corporate culture they have no interest in preserving. Instead of briefing them on the culture change programme you designed in isolation, invite them to co-design it with you.

Titles are shorthand. They communicate decision-making power, authority, and structure. When those things aren’t there, but the title is, people know. They know this wasn’t about role clarity or growth. Titles should reflect reality, not fantasy. When they do, people know where they stand, who they answer to, and what their future might look like. When they don’t, they become a trap for the leader, the individual, and the culture.

Older generations often complain that Gen Z is hard to manage. They're too outspoken. Too sensitive. Too easily offended. Or not committed enough. But what if those labels miss the point entirely? What makes Gen Z truly different is not their fashion, their screen time, or their TikTok fluency. It's the fact that they’ve entered the workplace without an existential fear of losing their jobs. And that shifts everything.

For years, we were told that what gets measured gets managed. And so we measured everything. From sales targets to customer satisfaction, call times to click-throughs, we created a culture of metrics. But when numbers become all that matters, something very human gets lost. Cultures built solely on data may be efficient, but they’re rarely inspiring. You can’t spreadsheet your way to passion. You can’t dashboard your way to purpose.