Every leader inherits a culture.
Not the one written in glossy onboarding trainings, but the real one. The one that lives in break rooms, behind closed doors, and in the quiet resistance of the most dangerous words in corporate America, “we’ve always done it this way.”
I learned this the hard way.
Early in my transition from law enforcement into the private sector, I took over a team that didn’t want me. Not personally, but symbolically. I represented change, new expectations, accountability, and a threat to comfort disguised as tradition.
They weren’t overtly defiant. But they weren’t bought in either. It wasn’t sabotage. It was survival. And here’s what that resistance taught me about real culture.
Culture Is Revealed in Resistance, Not Agreement
When things are easy, people nod along. When change shows up, the real beliefs come out. And boy, can it come out.
That team had been burned before. Multiple bosses. Shifting priorities. Flavor-of-the-month initiatives that left no lasting impact.
Their resistance wasn’t laziness, it was based on their experiences. They’d seen enough to stop believing words would lead to action.
As a leader, I had two choices:
- Force compliance through authority.
- Or earn commitment through trust.
I chose trust. It took longer, it was harder, but it built something real.
Clarity Is More Powerful Than Charisma
I thought I needed to inspire them. But they didn’t need a speech. They needed a plan.
They needed to know:
- What was changing and what wasn’t.
- Why it mattered.
- How success would be measured.
- And most importantly, how it affected them.
So I stopped trying to be impressive. And I started being specific. Because clarity breeds confidence, and confidence opens the door to buy-in.
Consistency Builds the Culture You Want
I didn’t win them over in a week or a month, but they noticed when I kept showing up.
When the standards didn’t drop. When they were coached, not criticized. When praised in public and corrected in private. Whe decisions matched values. Even when it costs more time, comfort, or popularity.
Culture isn’t declared. It’s demonstrated. And nothing demonstrates more than consistency. (You see a trend here?)
Resistance Isn’t the Enemy, It’s the Invitation
The toughest teams to lead are often the most honest. They’ll show you exactly where trust is missing, where leadership is needed, and where culture must be rebuilt. But if you’re willing to listen through the pushback and lead with integrity, you’ll build something stronger than compliance, you’ll build commitment.
Because real culture doesn’t come from slogans on the wall, it’s forged in the hard conversations, the earned trust, and the leadership that shows up even when it’s not welcomed yet.
Lead through resistance and you’ll earn the right to shape the culture that follows.