Why Your Culture Lives in Your Leader – And What You Need to Do About It

Anyone keeping even half an eye on the trade press will have noticed the wave of leadership changes sweeping through the comms and marketing industry – shifts that have prompted many of the biggest players to reflect on what they truly need from their leaders now, and in the future.

Because alongside the balance sheets and products and the Ai tools and the agency modelling and everything else that’s going to be on any new agency CEOs to-do list, defining and living a clear vision, set of values and behaviours will help shape their success too.

Now, this has always been the case… but in 2025, it’s never mattered more. Today, employees don’t just join companies for the work; increasingly, they choose employers for their values, their voice and the culture they live. This cultural identity is the foundation of a business – and the business’ leader is the storyteller-in-chief.

Year after year, research shows just how leaders and managers influence culture. A stat from Gallup that I shared at a recent panel event we hosted at Smarts on The Secrets to Inside-Out Thinking suggests that 70% of the variance in team engagement is determined solely by the manager. How leaders talk about where an organisation is headed – and why it matters – therefore has a huge impact on whether people feel connected and proud to be part of the journey.

But where do some leaders get it right, where do they get it wrong, and how can internal comms teams and their marketing counterparts offer guidance where it matters? That was a topic I put to leading internal communication and marketing practitioners at the panel event, and the learnings were fascinating…

The power of micro-moments

Leadership communication isn’t about grandstanding or formal speeches. Culture lives in the little things people see and experience every day, and, as Pardeep Duggal, Marketing Director of Bupa Global, pointed out in our panel, the best leaders realise it’s the real, authentic micro-moments that matter.

There are many reasons for this. Not least because employees increasingly see through rehearsed speeches and corporate speak. Set‑piece moments still matter - global broadcasts, town halls and milestone updates help build shared momentum – but culture is reinforced just as strongly by what leaders do between those headlines. The best leaders know they don’t always have the luxury to wait for ‘the perfect time’, and authentic, human micro‑moments often carry more weight than big speeches.

Everyday habits like quick recognition, transparent updates or casual messages can cascade through teams. A quick ‘thank you’ in a chat, or a spontaneous, self-filmed video that recognises effort in real time feels human, creates trust and builds cultural endurance. It can require a mindset shift for many leaders, but it’s vital that they’re engaging every day.

Tailoring the format

But not all micro-moments are created equal – and what works for one leader might fall flat for another. Some thrive in informal chats, others in written updates, video messages or one-to-one settings. Expecting every leader to deliver rousing speeches to hundreds just isn’t realistic – and pushing someone into a format that doesn’t fit them can be counterproductive.

That’s why internal comms teams need to think carefully about the best match between the message, the moment and the person delivering it. It’s not about ticking a box or chasing a textbook idea of what leadership should look or sound like – it’s about helping each leader show up in a way that feels natural to them.

‘Authenticity’ might be a word that’s been thrown around a lot, but it’s still spot on. Because when leaders communicate in a way that suits their style, people are much more likely to pay attention – and feel that sense of connection that makes culture stick.

Dialogue, not monologue

Communication is a two-way street, not a one-way megaphone. So, the very best leaders shift from talking at people to talking with them – encouraging questions, inviting feedback and being open to challenge. It can require another mindset shift for some leaders who are more used to telling people what to do, but it shows sincerity and a commitment to a wider vision.

Leaders need to actively listen to employee feedback, to spot small signals and behaviours, and to act on what they learn. Culture isn’t just built on people being told, it’s built on them being heard. I remember working for a global company where the CEO would regularly walk the floors unannounced, stopping to say hello and ask what you were working on. It was a surprise - and slightly disarming the first time - but it really helped build trust, showed genuine interest, and broke down barriers.

And if you’re really looking to establish a best-in-class internal culture, it’s worth noting how some leadership teams make visibility and genuine engagement a clear expectation. One global organisation I worked with trained its entire executive team on Viva Engage - not just shown how it works, but properly coached on how to post, tag, upload photos and engage with people in a way that felt real. They were all expected to show up on the platform – not defer to their comms business partner – and their engagement scores were tracked, just like any other leadership measure.

These are the leaders who don’t let seniority create distance. In fact, they use it as a reason to be even more visible. And if you’re building a business with cultural endurance – as all forward-thinking, ambitious brands should be – then it’s important that your vision comes alive from the very top.