An amazing organizational culture doesn’t happen by accident. It’s shaped and lived by leaders who consistently model the mindsets and behaviors they want to see. I’ve summarized some recent Forbes articles and McKinsey research and came up with eight attributes that consistently show up in leaders who create thriving cultures.
1. Purpose-Driven & Values-Led
“Be crystal clear about your values and how you expect people to act.” —Forbes
Why it matters:
- Companies in the top quartile for organizational health deliver 3× higher returns to shareholders, according to McKinsey’s Organizational Health Index (OHI) (mckinsey.com, mckinsey.com).
- Purpose-driven companies are 73% more likely to have highly engaged employees (vs. 23% elsewhere) (Deloitte).
2. Role Models of Desired Behaviors
“People will believe your actions over your words.” —Forbes
Why it matters:
- Transformations are 5.3× more likely to succeed when leaders model desired behaviors (McKinsey).
- Culture initiatives fail 70% of the time when leaders don’t align their actions with values (Forbes).
3. Balancers of Empathy & Accountability
“A culture is shaped by the worst behavior it will tolerate.” —Forbes
Why it matters:
- Empathy-balanced leadership correlates with 21% higher profitability and 17% higher productivity (Gallup).
- Tolerance for toxic behavior can increase turnover by up to 50% (Forbes).
4. Builders of Trust & Psychological Safety
“Inclusion and voice will become more important…” —McKinsey
Why it matters:
- Psychological safety is the #1 predictor of high-performing teams (Google’s Project Aristotle).
- High-trust organizations report 76% more engagement and 50% less burnout (McKinsey).
5. Inclusivity & Belonging Champions
“Recognizing subcultures is as important as working on the larger culture.” —Forbes
Why it matters:
- Companies in the top quartile for ethnic and cultural diversity are 36% more profitable (McKinsey).
- Inclusive cultures are 2× more likely to meet or exceed financial targets (Deloitte).
6. Adaptable & Growth-Oriented
“Agility means a culture that can support more than one strategy.” —McKinsey
Why it matters:
- Agile, healthy cultures are 70% more likely to be in the top quartile of organizational health (McKinsey).
- Adaptability supports innovation cycles that are 30% faster (Forbes).
7. System Thinkers & Ritual Creators
“Rituals and symbols reinforce culture…” —McKinsey
Why it matters:
- Rituals can increase adoption of new cultural norms by up to 50% (McKinsey).
- Systems-based reinforcement leads to 3× more durable cultures after leadership changes (MIT Sloan).
8. Talent Developers & Multipliers
“Transformations are 5.3× more likely to succeed when leaders model desired behaviors.” —McKinsey
Why it matters:
- 94% of employees would stay longer if their company invested in their development (LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report).
- Culture transformations are 4× more likely to succeed when middle managers are equipped as culture carriers (McKinsey).
The Bottom Line
Culture is everyone’s responsibility, but leaders set the tone. The more consistently leaders live these eight attributes—and reinforce them through systems and rituals—the more deeply culture becomes part of an organization’s DNA.
