Do leaders influence culture or does culture influence leaders?

That question comes up often in culture forums and leadership discussions. It’s quite like the chicken-egg dilemma debated for years, isn’t it?

In this case, the definitive answer is that leaders influence culture a little more than culture influences leadership. Two caveats:

#1. Poor leadership.

You have worked with poor leaders who seek approval from peers and direct reports before making any decision. Or, those who say “no” to every new idea that comes their way. Or, those who make no effort to connect with people whether they are direct reports, peers, higher levels, or customers. Leaders like those are rarely influential, yet their poor leadership makes them dependent on the culture but overlooked. Maybe even mocked.

#2. Most of the time.

There are exceptions, of course. There are companies that “eat their young.” New people who do not assimilate quickly exit exhausted from their efforts. Some cultures are so demanding and all-encompassing, they do not depend on leaders.

I met with a potential client company years ago with a culture that did not depend on leadership. The leaders came and went, but the people stayed for dozens of years. Leaders saw that location as a place to learn a few things and check the box of cross-functional development. After a year or two there, they moved on to another division. They were not really interested in influencing anything other than the budget. The company had poor leadership and a poor culture.

It is much more common to meet leaders who do care about their culture. Often, they do not really know what to do. They have covered the basics and need more.

To help leaders steer their ships, we created a list of 127 ways to influence your company’s culture. The first five are below.

1. Have a vision. Answer this, “In five years we will ___________.” There, now you have a vision.

2. Share the vision. Ensure everyone knows it, loves it, and works toward it.

3. Determine the work priorities that will lead to the vision. There are many ways to go about it. Which ways is your company ready to employ and support? Don’t make people guess.

4. Ask each employee where and when they want to work. Discuss, set expectations, try and assess.

5. Define a company leadership philosophy and how it looks throughout the organization.

This list is for leaders seeking ways to influence the culture of their organizations positively and productively. In short, follow the Golden Rule and the Platinum Rule. Be good and do good. No ethical shenanigans. Companies with cultures that align with this list are among the most successful and sustainable in the world. Google it. You’ll see research galore. Yours can be on that list too if (it’s not already).

Leaders who want to build a culture that meets the needs of today’s people, pace, problems, and promise must evolve how they interact and influence. Leaders who do not evolve to meet today’s needs will be left behind, and so will their companies.

Leadership is tough today, and leading others or an organization is not for everyone. If you read this list and are not enthused about taking many of these actions, consider your own leadership philosophy.

Are you the leader needed today? What do you need to do to be the leader needed right now?

We hope this tactical list helps you identify how to evolve as a leader so you are even more influential within your company culture. There is a special 30-minute virtual conversation coming up about this list and leadership influence. You can get access to the conversation and to the full list by becoming a Voyage VIP. (click here to join)