The CEO-Culture Connection

In these quickly evolving times, leaders need effective tools to scale their vision, to harness the power of their people and to adapt and thrive.

Organisational culture can be that "north star" that guides c-suite efforts to strengthen organisational performance and effectiveness.

But what may be surprising is the outsized impact a single person—the Chief Executive Officer (CEO)—can have on an organisation's culture and its ability to survive or thrive in times of extraordinary disruption.

Deloitte has identified four CEO personas and their “culture connection”—their ability to effectively shape and direct culture to strengthen organisational performance.

Using our unique Culture Web framework, we delve deeper into each CEO persona and show how the right support, actions and organisational levers can activate a successful culture across the business.

Identify your - or your CEO’s - culture Leadership persona and the steps and guidance you can follow for a successful culture, strategy and thriving organisation.

Read the report

The CEO Personas

Visionary Driver

• This CEO lives and breathes their desired culture and ties it to their business strategy.

Party Planner

• This CEO knows culture is important but lacks the tools to systematically shape it, instead relying on empty symbols (e.g., pizza parties or ping pong tables).

Doubtful De-prioritiser

• This CEO fails to recognise the importance of culture-and that every choice has culture implications.

Lip Service Leader

• This CEO pays lip service to culture but repeatedly makes undermining choices (e.g., they want innovation but punish failure).