Tag Archive for: adaptive leadership

When Declared Culture and Lived Culture Don’t Match: The Power of the Organisational Unconscious

In today’s organisations, the language of transformation is everywhere: people talk about empathetic leadership, cultures of innovation, wellbeing, and inclusion. But in many cases, that transformation does not materialise meaningfully, consistently, and sustainably beyond the formal discourse.

In other words, there is talk of transformation. Still, things remain the same in practice or change very little: turnover remains high, energy is drained in endless meetings, innovation stalls, and distrust is masked by polite conversation.

Why does this happen? Organisations, like people, have an unconscious—a collective life that operates beneath the surface of formal declarations.

Understanding the Organisational Unconscious

The organisational unconscious is the invisible territory where unspoken loyalties, silent pacts, shared fears, implicit prohibitions, and repressed emotions reside. It shapes, often unknowingly, workplace culture and decision-making.

It is not abstract; it becomes evident when, for example:

  • Everyone verbally supports a transformation, but no one implements it.
  • Patterns of failure repeat themselves with different people.
  • Certain leaders or past eras are revered, even if no longer effective.
  • People emotionally “disengage” while remaining in their roles.
  • Organisations speak of well-being while normalising collective burnout.

Four Dynamics That Reveal the Unspoken

1. Division: The organisation symbolically splits to survive: us vs. them, field vs. corporate, the “good ones” vs. the “problematic ones.” People don’t see themselves as part of a whole but as fragmented groups. This prevents meaningful dialogue and integration.

2. Invisible Loyalties: People unknowingly stay loyal to past leaders, outdated leadership styles, or protective silences. What once worked no longer applies. Change is perceived as emotional betrayal rather than evolution, which increases resistance and rigidity.

3. Institutional Taboos: Off-limits topics include power, inequality, privilege, mistakes, and favouritism. Silence becomes a defence mechanism. But what goes unspoken tends to manifest elsewhere, usually not in helpful ways.

4. Empty Rituals: Meetings without purpose, disconnected recognition, processes that continue out of inertia. These repetitive actions soothe the system but block true renewal.

5. Exclusion: Hidden narratives of exclusion, misunderstood meritocracy, or fear of losing privilege.

Three Familiar Stories

The Leadership That Doesn’t Inspire Change: A new CEO brings transformational energy. There is initial enthusiasm, but the system doesn’t respond. The team remains emotionally attached to the former leader. Unspoken loyalties are in control.

Innovation Blocked by Fear: A campaign is launched to “embrace failure,” but subtle punishment follows when the first project fails. The implicit message is stronger than the declared one. Motivation and initiative fade.

Wellbeing Masking Exhaustion: Organisations offer mindfulness breaks and self-care talks while demanding 24/7 availability. Burnout only intensifies.

There are countless examples. But ultimately, a mismanaged organisational unconscious affects key business outcomes: productivity, retention, engagement, integration, innovation, and adaptability.

From Awareness to Action: A Practical Strategy for Leading the Organisational Unconscious

1. Unconventional Diagnosis: Listen to What Is Not Being Said

Goal: Name the unnameable. Make the invisible visible.

Recommended tools:

  • Open-ended interviews with deep listening (ideally externally facilitated)
  • Mapping “cultural tensions” (not just climate)
  • Analysing informal language: repeated phrases, significant silences
  • Storytelling spaces that allow critical narratives and shared symbols to emerge

2. Decoding Invisible Loyalties and Their Consequences

Every human group has implicit loyalties to founders, past crises, leadership styles, and working methods. These loyalties may be misaligned with current goals.

Strategic actions:

  • Conduct “cultural archaeology” to identify events, leaders, or narratives still shaping the present
  • Explore outdated beliefs that may be hindering growth

3. Turning the Unconscious Into a Catalyst: Organisational Reframing

Goal: Use the weight of the unconscious as cultural fuel, not resistance.

Practical strategies:

  • Symbolic rituals: transitions, closures, or launches that mark new cultural beginnings (e.g., ceremonies to welcome a new vision)
  • Rewritten origin stories: reframing the past to empower the future (e.g., viewing past mistakes as part of the journey to success)
  • Safe contradiction spaces: where leaders model behaviours that used to be taboo (e.g., vulnerability, learning from errors, emotional dialogue)

4. Develop Systemic Awareness in Leadership

Without realising it, leaders are often the leading carriers of the organisational unconscious. When leadership evolves consciously, it creates space for the unsaid to be heard, generating trust and turning contradiction into learning.

Action plan:

  • Training in systemic thinking and conscious, adaptive leadership
  • Executive coaching
  • 360º assessments that include perceptions of openness, trust, and comfort with contradiction

5. Measure the Intangible to Influence the Tangible

While the unconscious may seem “soft,” managing it can drive concrete results. Key success indicators include:

  • Lower voluntary turnover
  • Improved climate and belonging indicators
  • Increased cross-functional innovation participation
  • Faster adaptation to change
  • Higher internal and external NPS

Leading With Awareness From the Unconscious

Ignoring the organisational unconscious means letting it lead from the shadows. Leading it doesn’t mean eliminating it, but making it conscious and channelling its power into transformation. The most evolved organisations are not those without tension but those that know how to navigate their contradictions with emotional intelligence, purpose, and shared vision.

Behind every act of resistance or tension, there is a story that needs to be told and a conversation that needs to happen.

Conversational Leadership: The Key to High Performance

Sixth and final installment of the “Conversational Leadership” series.

In leadership, what we say and how we say it defines the quality of our relationships, the effectiveness of our teams, and ultimately, the results we achieve. A leader’s ability to communicate with clarity, empathy, and strategy is a key differentiator that builds trust, fosters engagement, and enhances performance.

This article, the sixth and final installment of the “Conversational Leadership” series, integrates the key phases of Conversational Leadership and explores how they relate to performance management and the development of strong, empathetic, adaptable, and effective leadership.

1. Assertiveness: The Foundation of Trust and Clarity

A leader who communicates assertively creates an environment where expectations are clear, feedback is timely and constructive, and conversations are based on mutual respect. Assertiveness is not about imposing authority; it is about expressing thoughts, needs, and expectations in a clear and direct yet respectful manner, fostering a two-way dialogue.

How does assertiveness strengthen leadership and performance management?

  • Clarifies expectations, ensuring alignment and preventing misunderstandings.
  • Encourages open dialogue, reducing fear of expressing concerns or proposing solutions.
  • Prevents passive-aggressive behaviors that undermine collaboration and trust.
  • Ensures accountability by setting clear performance and conduct standards.

When leaders communicate with clarity and confidence, employees understand their responsibilities, trust their leadership, and work with greater autonomy and motivation.

Strategies for assertive communication

  • Express observations based on facts, not assumptions.
  • Focus on behaviors (what is seen and heard) rather than defining the person by their actions—avoid labeling.
  • Balance confidence and empathy when delivering messages.
  • Promote a solution-oriented mindset instead of seeking blame.
  • Use open-ended questions to foster dialogue and understanding.

2. Active Listening: The Key to Adaptability and Understanding

Great leaders do not just give instructions; they listen, process, and respond with intention. Active listening is not about waiting for one’s turn to speak but about truly understanding the other person’s message, emotions, and concerns to build solutions collaboratively.

How does active listening enhance effective leadership?

  • Creates an environment of psychological safety where employees feel valued.
  • Helps leaders identify and anticipate issues before they become crises.
  • Strengthens relationships by demonstrating empathy and respect.
  • Improves decision-making by considering diverse perspectives.

Strategies for effective active listening

  • Eliminate distractions and give full attention to the speaker.
  • Paraphrase and summarize to confirm accurate understanding.
  • Observe nonverbal cues and tone of voice.
  • Ask clarifying questions instead of making assumptions.

A leader who actively listens gains valuable insights, builds trust, and fosters a culture of adaptability—essential qualities in constantly evolving environments.

3. Effective Feedback: A Tool for Continuous Growth

Feedback is the bridge between current performance and future potential. However, many leaders either avoid it or deliver it ineffectively, leading to confusion, resistance, or demotivation.

How does feedback enhance performance management?

  • Helps address issues before they escalate into crises.
  • Motivates and reinforces behaviors that contribute to team success.
  • Aligns individual goals with organizational objectives.
  • Fosters a culture of learning, growth, and adaptation—critical for long-term success.

Effective Feedback Model

  1. Inspire – Connect feedback to a meaningful purpose and long-term impact.
  2. Describe – Explain observed behaviors objectively, without personal judgment.
  3. Explain the Impact – Show how actions affect the team and organization.
  4. Call to Action – Design concrete and achievable steps together.
  5. Create Agreement – Ensure both parties commit to the agreed steps and follow up on results.

Performance management is only effective when feedback is continuous and constructive. A leader who integrates feedback into daily conversations ensures that improvement is ongoing rather than reactive.

4. Agreement Management: The Discipline of Leadership and Accountability

Effective leadership is not just about inspiring and communicating—it is about ensuring commitments are met. Agreement management ensures that words translate into action and that commitments generate real impact.

Key Principles in Agreement Management

  • Be explicit about expectations and desired outcomes.
  • Anticipate obstacles and discuss strategies to overcome them.
  • Establish clear follow-up mechanisms to track progress.
  • Foster a culture of accountability and commitment without creating fear.

When agreements are clearly defined and consistently managed, leaders create an environment of trust, engagement, and high performance.

5. Strategic Conversations: Alignment and Accountability

Leaders who master strategic conversations successfully align individual contributions with organizational objectives. Every conversation is an opportunity to reinforce values, motivate action, and set clear expectations.

How do strategic conversations strengthen performance management?

  • Precisely define roles and responsibilities.
  • Foster collaborative problem-solving, improving team efficiency.
  • Align personal objectives with organizational priorities.
  • Ensure commitments are clear, measurable, and tracked.

Techniques for leading strategic conversations

  • Define the purpose before initiating the conversation.
  • Keep the discussion fact-based and solution-focused.
  • Establish clear agreements with deadlines and accountability.
  • Follow up on commitments to reinforce consistency and reliability.

The Intersection of Conversational Leadership and Performance Management

The true power of leadership lies in influencing, inspiring, and turning every conversation into a tool for action and commitment. A leader who masters assertiveness, feedback, active listening, strategic conversations, and agreement management fosters highly productive teams and a strong, secure, and continuously developing organizational culture.

Reflect on Your Leadership

  • Do my conversations create clarity or confusion?
  • Do I provide feedback in a timely and effective manner?
  • Do I actively listen, or do I just wait for my turn to speak?
  • Are my agreements clear, measurable, and consistently followed up on?
  • How can I improve my communication to strengthen team engagement and performance?

Conversational leadership is not just about talking—it is about transforming relationships, aligning goals, and fostering a culture of accountability and excellence.

Are you ready to elevate your leadership through strategic and effective conversations?

Tag Archive for: adaptive leadership