086: Culture Isn’t a Poster on the Wall—It’s the Ground Your Team Walks On, with Guest Eyad Mubaied

What if your perceived company culture isn't what your team actually experiences? In this eye-opening episode of the Leadership Sandbox, Tammy J. Bond sits down with Eyad Mubaied, author of The Culture Driven Organization and founder of Cultivate Culture LLC, to dismantle common myths about organizational culture.

Eyad shares powerful insights from his Culture Creation Model, revealing how true culture transformation goes beyond mission statements to align your Philosophy, Process, and People. Discover why leaders must own and shape their culture, rather than outsourcing it to HR, and learn how to audit your workplace for blind spots. This conversation provides actionable strategies for leaders at all levels to foster a culture-driven organization that genuinely impacts employee engagement, business growth, and overall performance.

Key Takeaways for Leaders:

• Culture Drives Performance: Understand why a robust organizational culture is the engine of high performance, not just an aesthetic add-on.

• Leader Ownership: Leaders are the primary architects of corporate culture; it’s built by design, not by default.

• The Culture Creation Model: Learn how aligning your philosophies, processes, and people is crucial for sustainable culture transformation.

• Audit Your Culture: Discover how to effectively assess your current organizational culture to identify and address toxic norms and blind spots.

• The Power of Listening: Your culture is defined not by what you say, but by how well you listen to your team.

• Continuous Improvement: A healthy workplace culture requires ongoing attention and a commitment to continuous improvement.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• The #1 myth leaders believe about company culture and who truly sets it.

• How to audit your organizational culture effectively without ego getting in the way.

• Why performance-focused teams can still miss the mark on cultural alignment.

• Eyad's "sticky note wisdom" for everyday leadership development.

• The critical role of middle management in shaping and reinforcing culture.

• How to address toxic norms and foster a positive workplace culture.

Chapters:

• 00:00 The Journey to Cultivating Culture: Eyad Mubaied's path from finance to culture transformation.

• 02:28 Understanding Culture: Definitions and Misunderstandings: Dispelling common myths about organizational culture.

• 05:11 The Role of Leadership in Shaping Culture: Why leaders must own their workplace culture.

• 08:04 The Culture Creation Model Explained: An in-depth look at Eyad's framework for culture creation.

• 16:21 Philosophies, Processes, and People: The Key Components of Culture: Deep dive into the pillars of the Culture Creation Model.

• 22:15 Auditing Culture: Identifying Blind Spots: Practical tips for assessing your organizational culture.

• 24:19 The Impact of Culture on Business Growth: Connecting culture directly to performance outcomes.

• 27:35 Assessing Organizational Culture: Further insights on evaluating your workplace dynamics.

• 29:19 Middle Managemen