Peter Drucker’s famous quote, Culture eats strategy for breakfast, has taken on a new depth of meaning for me over my years at my current role. I’ve already completed five years with Ricardo, and my perspective on what truly matters in a workplace has evolved. This isn’t a rant or critique - it’s more of an understanding I’ve come to about what I believe drives success within an organisation. After observing and experiencing enough, I’m convinced that no strategy, however well thought out, can flourish without a supportive culture backing it up.

At the end of the day, a company can have the most sophisticated and ambitious strategic goals, but if the culture isn’t there to support those goals, they’re unlikely to reach their full potential. A positive, inclusive, and trusting work environment makes all the difference in whether people feel connected to their work and motivated to go the extra mile. Strategy outlines the what - targets, goals, timelines - but it’s culture that provides the how by fostering the right environment to make those targets achievable. Culture should make a place feel like somewhere people want to be, a place they can invest in. You create a win for everyone when culture, more than strategy, becomes the heart of a workplace. 

When I talk about culture, I’m not just referring to a feel-good atmosphere or morale booster.  Culture, at its core, shapes how we approach and define fairness across the team. True fairness doesn’t mean treating everyone exactly the same; I strongly believe it’s about recognising individual strengths and contributions while avoiding favouritism or unfair biases. For instance, some team members may spend more time on networking and making important connections, while others might be focused on in-depth project analysis or data processing. Both roles are essential, yet each requires different forms of support and recognition. When we value and support each person’s unique contributions, we build a culture where everyone feels their work is meaningful and valued.  

Each person brings different skills to the table, and the diversity of contributions is what drives a thriving workplace. A strong culture respects and nurtures that diversity, making room for everyone to contribute according to their strengths and building a workplace people can feel proud of.

In blending these ideas of culture and fairness, I’ve learned that trust and autonomy are essential. I believe my team thrives when they are given room to bring their strengths forward and trust that they have the independence to do their best work. Micromanaging or rigidly enforcing identical standards across the board only undermines the trust and motivation that drive people to perform. Instead, observing, adapting to unique skill sets, and letting people work in the way that suits them best builds a culture of engagement. I’m proud of my team and direct reports - they’re skilled, driven, and deeply invested in their work. This trust and autonomy we share allow them to achieve more than any strategy alone could.

Looking ahead, this is the kind of culture I want to keep being a part of - one that values not just a strategy on paper but the people who bring it to life. A workplace where culture truly is the foundation, where individual strengths are celebrated, and where trust and respect are deeply embedded in the way we work together. As I see it, this culture-first approach is what transforms a strategy from an ambition into something truly impactful.

And if I could fantasise where my team could work... this would be it, somewhere in the woods, but no far from a city, with lots of natural light and big desks - an Apple Park-inspired workplace if you like, that brings the best out of everyone. NB. Image has been AI-generated.

Writing this was inspired by a recent episode of The High Performance Podcast with Otmar Szafnauer (former Team Principal of Force India, Aston Martin, and Alpine F1 teams). You can watch the episode here https://youtu.be/x5qyy0O5ztk?si=i3-7xQFHmXS-EohG