Implementing a High Performance Culture: Easier Than You Think

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The idea that workplace culture matters isn't new, but our understanding of its power has evolved sharply in the past few decades. In the industrial era, culture was synonymous with hierarchy and control. As long as people showed up and followed orders, culture wasn’t questioned.

Fast forward to the late 20th century, when thinkers like Edgar Schein “…culture is ultimately created, embedded, evolved, and ultimately manipulated by leaders.” Culture, once seen as intangible fluff, started being recognised as a serious business lever.

The dot-com boom, the rise of Silicon Valley, and research from institutions like MIT and Stanford made it clear: culture isn’t just about perks. It’s the operating system of an organisation. A good culture powers innovation and resilience. A bad, or ‘toxic’ culture destroys not just innovation and resilience but ultimately, through burnout and financial failing can destroy lives.

Today, thanks to tech founders and podcasts, culture is mainstream. Steven Bartlett openly calls himself “obsessed” with company culture. Brian Chesky, co-founder of Airbnb, puts it plainly: “Culture is a thousand things, a thousand times. It's living the core values when you hire; when you write an email; when you are working on a project; when you are walking in the hall.” It often remains an unseen force, and whether confronted or left alone it still has power.

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“Company culture is a projection of values and beliefs through individual and collective behaviours.”

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Why Culture Change Feels Hard — and Why It Doesn’t Have to Be

Let’s get one myth out of the way: changing culture is not mystical. It’s not reserved for visionaries or lucky startups. Culture is simply the sum of behaviours you model, encourage, or tolerate. The moment you choose to lead deliberately, culture starts to shift.

What throws people off is the illusion that it’s too big. But here’s the truth: senior leaders set the tone. Whether they like it or not, their actions become the reference point. Behaviour gets copied — consciously or not. That’s why culture change starts (and often ends) with leadership.

So, if you want to create a High Performance culture, begin by making it explicit. Talk about it. Define what it looks like. And most importantly, live it.

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A Practical Roadmap

Based on sound methodology, implementing a High Performance culture is a structured, step-by-step process. It’s not vague. It’s not theoretical. It’s about embedding behaviours that drive performance, accountability, and trust.

In simple terms, high performance is about continuous improvement, it doesn’t mean every time you do something it is better but it does mean that every time you do something it is reviewed and lessons are learnt, and that when it really matters – you are prepared and rehearsed and mentally ready for anything.

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7 Steps to Leading Culture Change:

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1. Define – What does a High Performance Culture mean to us?

‍Align on the vision, purpose and outcomes. Include investigation into the current ground truth at all levels and functions. You may need to embed unseen macrocultures, subcultures and microcultures.

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2. Decide – What behaviours will we model and expect?

 Identify the specific behaviours and mindsets you want to see more of. What does it look like day-to-day?

3. Agree – Are we committed?

Build shared ownership to ensure consistency under pressure. This is not a ‘fake it…’ moment, when pressure is on it is easy to fall back to past behaviours if not completely aligned. Everyone in the leadership must be on board.

4. Share – How do we communicate this story?

Communicate clearly. Use language that resonates and builds understanding. Tell the story in a way that lands. Consider the perspective of all levels, the positive outcomes for all.

5. Demonstrate – Are we living it?

Leaders must walk the talk. If they don’t live it, it dies. Humans model the behaviour of others unconsciously and consciously. If you are a leader, you are always being watched.

6. Encourage – Are we recognising positive change?

Recognise the right behaviours. Reinforce and celebrate them. At the same time, address misalignment in the moment and show the positive alternative – even if catching oneself, acknowledging and correcting can be a powerful learning moment for others.

7. Review – Is it still relevant? Are we progressing?

Culture isn’t static. Check progress. Adapt as needed. Especially important at a time of accelerated technological development – for example, assessing how our behaviours can be affected by AI.

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The 7 Steps form the backbone of Deepsky’s High-Performance Culture initiative. It’s a practical framework that works — not just for startups, but for any business, at any stage of their journey.

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Psychological Safety Is Not a Free Pass

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We talk a lot about psychological safety — the freedom to speak up without fear. It’s essential. But without accountability, it becomes an echo chamber.

High Performance cultures get this balance right. People feel safe and responsible. Feedback flows in all directions. Expectations are clear. Trust is strong, but not blind. When someone drops the ball, it’s addressed — constructively and quickly.

The aviation industry uses their “no blame” or “just” culture; this doesn’t mean no responsibility. It means errors are surfaced and solved, not hidden and repeated. That’s the sweet spot: safety and high standards.

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Lessons from the Frontlines: Google, Microsoft, and More

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Google’s Aristotle Project found that psychological safety was the number one predictor of high-performing teams. Not IQ. Not tenure. Safety.

Microsoft’s cultural turnaround under Satya Nadella is a masterclass in using Emotional Intelligence. He moved the company from a know-it-all to a learn-it-all mindset. Openness, growth, and empathy replaced silos and internal turf wars. The result? A resurgence in innovation and performance.

It’s not magic. It’s mindset plus behaviour. Repeated, rewarded, and reinforced. There are many examples from the world of sport, elite military units, and business, where changing the ‘way we do things’ and how teams work together have led to great success.

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Culture Is a Movement, Not a Moment

One-off workshops can build the foundations but, on their own, they don’t change culture. Consistent, deliberate leadership does. Think of culture like fitness — a daily practice, not a quick fix.

That’s why the 7 Steps work. It’s not about slogans on the wall. It’s about deliberate reflection, behavioural modelling, and continuous feedback. Culture workshops drill into mindset, team habits, and ownership —all anchored in real-world action.

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If you're serious about culture, ask yourself

• What behaviours am I modeling every day?
• What am I encouraging, tolerating, or ignoring?
• What story am I telling through my actions?

The answers shape your culture more than any mission statement ever will.

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Final Thoughts: The Opportunity

We’re at a turning point. Employees expect more. Customer notice culture. Performance depends on it. And the tools to change it are in your hands. Leadership is the culture. The rest is noise. I invite you to define your culture. Talk about it. Lead it, watch your organisation transform and improve — every day.

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“Your Company’s Culture will be defined by the behaviours you Demonstrate, Encourage and Tolerate.”

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