Strong Cultures Leave Evidence. Weak Cultures Leave Excuses.

I once sat with a leadership team that swore they had a strong culture.
They talked about teamwork, respect, values, integrity.
Beautiful words — polished and rehearsed.
But when I asked for examples, the room went quiet.

Then came the excuses:
“People are busy.”
“Communication is tough right now.”
“We’re going through a lot of change.”
“That’s just how some personalities are.”

That silence told me everything.
Because strong cultures don’t need explanations.
They leave evidence.

You see it in the way people show up — not perfectly, but consistently.
You see it in how teams handle conflict without destroying trust.
You see it in leaders who model the same behaviors they demand.
You see it in the pace, the energy, the clarity, the resilience.

Strong cultures leave evidence in the everyday moments:
An employee speaking truth to power without fear.
A leader protecting psychological safety in a heated meeting.
A team rallying around a deadline because they believe in the mission, not because they fear the fallout.

Weak cultures leave a trail too — just a different one.
Excuses instead of ownership.
Silence instead of courage.
Politics instead of alignment.
Defensiveness instead of learning.

When you walk through an organization, the evidence is everywhere — in tone, in rhythm, in the emotional climate leaders create.
You don’t need a survey to find it.
You just need to look honestly.

Culture is not theoretical.
It’s documented, daily, through the evidence people leave behind.

If you want to build a culture that leaves a strong, unmistakable trail of trust, alignment, and courage, explore my new book, The Making of a Strong Culture: Intentional Organizations