Strengthening Connection Through Culture

Organizational change often begins with a bold vision: a more agile culture, a smarter strategy, and a future-ready workforce. But vision alone rarely moves people, culture does. As transformation efforts accelerate across industries, organizations are facing more than process and technology shifts. They must also address the emotional and cultural challenges that naturally emerge during periods of change. While change is often driven by strategy, its success depends on how people interpret new expectations, respond to uncertainty, and make decisions under pressure. During these times, culture often shifts under pressure, ultimately causing strain and becoming an invisible yet powerful barrier to progress for many organizations.

According to research by Gartner, 82% of employees undergoing organizational transformation experience cultural tensions. These often arise between competing values, such as quality versus speed or efficiency versus innovation. When left unaddressed, these tensions can lead to stress, decision fatigue, and diminished performance. The disconnect between strategy and culture can derail even the most well-designed transformation initiatives. As organizations pursue new growth opportunities, those that fail to manage the cultural ripple effects of change risk stalled progress and disengaged teams.

Fortunately, with the right approach, these challenges can be addressed.

To support teams through complex transitions, organizations must address culture as a strategic priority. Drawing on current research and our work supporting companies facing these same challenges, we’ve outlined four practical ways to align culture with strategy, reduce resistance, and build connection during times of change.

Four Ways to Align Culture with Strategy

Acknowledge and Clarify Cultural Tensions: Change often introduces new priorities that clash with long-held ways of working. Instead of ignoring or minimizing these tensions, effective communication should acknowledge the real trade-offs employees are facing. Collaborate with leadership to set clear expectations, and provide guidance on what to prioritize when norms compete. Clarity reduces ambiguity and helps teams feel supported rather than conflicted.

Equip Employees to Make Informed Trade-Offs: When employees understand what is changing and how to navigate that change, they’re more likely to stay engaged. Support them in building culture-informed judgment through workshops, coaching, and storytelling. Translate organizational values into specific behaviors and decisions relevant to their roles. By doing so, you equip teams with a shared lens for making everyday choices that align with transformation goals. In one case, a leading multinational retailer launched a six-month leadership development program focused on preparing mid-level managers for advancement. C-Suite Coach contributed to the program by delivering coaching and group learning experiences that helped participants navigate competing expectations around delegation, visibility, and performance. More than half of the participants moved into next-level roles, and many reported increased confidence and clarity in their ability to lead through change.

Foster Belonging Through Connection and Coaching: Unresolved cultural tension can erode trust and lead to isolation, especially when teams feel uncertain or misaligned. By creating peer support networks, team coaching initiatives, and cross-functional collaboration, organizations can rebuild connection and trust. Coaching helps teams engage in open dialogue, break down silos, and strengthen shared purpose. 

Monitor Impact and Prioritize Employee Wellbeing: Stress is an emotional response to change that also poses a serious performance risk. According to Gartner, highly stressed employees perform significantly worse in transformation-aligned tasks, costing organizations millions. Regularly measure progress, not only through business outcomes but also employee sentiment and stress levels. Take action to adjust course when needed, and ensure employees feel seen and supported throughout the journey.

Supporting Culture to Sustain Change

Strategic planning alone is no longer enough, what drives lasting change is  cultural fluency, empathy, and actionable clarity. As companies continue to invest in long-term change efforts, the differentiator won’t just be innovation or speed. It will be how effectively they help teams adapt, stay connected, and make empowered decisions in evolving environments. Because when employees are guided through tensions with care and given the tools to interpret and respond to new expectations, they are more likely to lean in than pull back, because culture is the engine that drives change forward.