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Walking the Talk: Building a Culture for Success
A ground-breaking book which addresses the crucial discipline of building an effective business culture, covering everything you need to know about planning and implementing a culture program in your business or organization.
356 pages, Paperback
First published April 26, 2005
75 people are currently reading
318 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Taylor
1 book5 followersCarolyn is one of the world's foremost experts in corporate culture transformation and the CEO of global culture change consultancy, Walking the Talk.
Over the past 30 years, Carolyn has run workshops with over 50,000 leaders, worked alongside 200 culture change journeys, consulted on 15 mergers & acquisitions, coached 60 CEOs and worked in 35 countries. She is known for facilitating events with teams that are insightful, profound, fun and provocative.
In 2005, she wrote the first practical guide on how to change culture: Walking the Talk: Building a Culture for Success (Random House) was described by Professor Lynda Gratton of the London Business School as "a must read for any manager embarking on the journey of cultural change." Recently translated into Portuguese, the book is considered to be a corporate literature classic.
In Australia, Carolyn pioneered work in leadership, values and culture through her first successful consulting business, Corporate Vision. The firm was in the BRW 100 fastest growing Australian companies five years in a row, and her achievements made her a finalist in the Telstra Businesswoman of the Year Awards in 1998 with an admission into the Australian Business Woman's Hall of Fame the same year. The company provided organisational development services to many major companies in Australia and the UK. Carolyn's clients included the CEOs of Telstra, NAB, Westpac, Wyeth and Rio Tinto.
In 2005, Carolyn joined a global consulting firm as an Academic Board member, where she introduced a culture practice and worked with executives in some of the world's leading businesses. She was Global Sales and Marketing Partner during a period of 300% growth and led several of the largest culture change projects in which the company was involved. Her clients included Sheryl Sandberg at Google and Facebook, Henri de Castries, CEO of AXA, Roberto Setubal, President of Itau Unibanco bank in Brazil and Mark Begor, of EGM GE Money.
In 2009, driven by a vision to promote her culture management methodologies to a much larger group of internal and external culture advocates, she co-founded Walking the Talk.
Carolyn pioneered, researched and built what many clients say is the most practical, do-able approach to culture change available on the market today. It has been her ambition to share her knowledge with as many as possible, motivated by a vision that every organisation in the world has the potential to possess a thriving culture.
Carolyn's innovative contribution to the world of organisational culture continues with a new book in the wings, as well as a breakthrough technology product to facilitate and measure changes in behaviour, set for launch in late 2015.
Over the past 30 years, Carolyn has run workshops with over 50,000 leaders, worked alongside 200 culture change journeys, consulted on 15 mergers & acquisitions, coached 60 CEOs and worked in 35 countries. She is known for facilitating events with teams that are insightful, profound, fun and provocative.
In 2005, she wrote the first practical guide on how to change culture: Walking the Talk: Building a Culture for Success (Random House) was described by Professor Lynda Gratton of the London Business School as "a must read for any manager embarking on the journey of cultural change." Recently translated into Portuguese, the book is considered to be a corporate literature classic.
In Australia, Carolyn pioneered work in leadership, values and culture through her first successful consulting business, Corporate Vision. The firm was in the BRW 100 fastest growing Australian companies five years in a row, and her achievements made her a finalist in the Telstra Businesswoman of the Year Awards in 1998 with an admission into the Australian Business Woman's Hall of Fame the same year. The company provided organisational development services to many major companies in Australia and the UK. Carolyn's clients included the CEOs of Telstra, NAB, Westpac, Wyeth and Rio Tinto.
In 2005, Carolyn joined a global consulting firm as an Academic Board member, where she introduced a culture practice and worked with executives in some of the world's leading businesses. She was Global Sales and Marketing Partner during a period of 300% growth and led several of the largest culture change projects in which the company was involved. Her clients included Sheryl Sandberg at Google and Facebook, Henri de Castries, CEO of AXA, Roberto Setubal, President of Itau Unibanco bank in Brazil and Mark Begor, of EGM GE Money.
In 2009, driven by a vision to promote her culture management methodologies to a much larger group of internal and external culture advocates, she co-founded Walking the Talk.
Carolyn pioneered, researched and built what many clients say is the most practical, do-able approach to culture change available on the market today. It has been her ambition to share her knowledge with as many as possible, motivated by a vision that every organisation in the world has the potential to possess a thriving culture.
Carolyn's innovative contribution to the world of organisational culture continues with a new book in the wings, as well as a breakthrough technology product to facilitate and measure changes in behaviour, set for launch in late 2015.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 20, 2016
Over the last decade there has been a significant increase in the focus on, and understanding of, the impact of corporate culture on performance. It is regularly referred to in autopsies of corporate collapses, and is a key area of focus for corporate and prudential regulators.
Taylor explains that "Culture is what you create every time you make a decision" and culture changes "when messages about what is important change". To assist organisations on this journey Taylor sets out six areas that organisations should focus on in developing a business case for culture: speed, accountability, rigour, simplicity, collaboration and attractiveness.
Taylor’s focus throughout the book is on persuading organisations to understand the culture they want for their business and commence a journey to shift towards that culture. Although predicting a tremendous lift in the profile that culture holds by 2020, Taylor fails to tackle what happens after organisations have commenced the journey. How do you maintain a culture during a leadership transition? Should organisations tolerate sub-cultures in their organisation co-existing with the broader organisation culture and how do you avoid these clashing? What are the challenges in creating an organisation culture that transcends national boundaries and ethnic cultures? When is it appropriate to refresh a good culture, and what are the pitfalls in tampering with a culture that seems to ‘work’. These are all questions that are left unexplored by Taylor.
By failing to lift her gaze beyond getting organisations to recognise the importance of corporate culture, to discuss what happens to maintain, refresh or renew a culture Taylor has limited the utility of this book.
Taylor concludes that those who fail to tackle their cultures soon enough will find themselves falling further and further behind. For anyone in this position, Walking the Talk will be an informative read. For those who are already tackling their cultures, Walking the Talk will provide a refresher but few insights on the challenges they are likely to be facing.
Taylor explains that "Culture is what you create every time you make a decision" and culture changes "when messages about what is important change". To assist organisations on this journey Taylor sets out six areas that organisations should focus on in developing a business case for culture: speed, accountability, rigour, simplicity, collaboration and attractiveness.
Taylor’s focus throughout the book is on persuading organisations to understand the culture they want for their business and commence a journey to shift towards that culture. Although predicting a tremendous lift in the profile that culture holds by 2020, Taylor fails to tackle what happens after organisations have commenced the journey. How do you maintain a culture during a leadership transition? Should organisations tolerate sub-cultures in their organisation co-existing with the broader organisation culture and how do you avoid these clashing? What are the challenges in creating an organisation culture that transcends national boundaries and ethnic cultures? When is it appropriate to refresh a good culture, and what are the pitfalls in tampering with a culture that seems to ‘work’. These are all questions that are left unexplored by Taylor.
By failing to lift her gaze beyond getting organisations to recognise the importance of corporate culture, to discuss what happens to maintain, refresh or renew a culture Taylor has limited the utility of this book.
Taylor concludes that those who fail to tackle their cultures soon enough will find themselves falling further and further behind. For anyone in this position, Walking the Talk will be an informative read. For those who are already tackling their cultures, Walking the Talk will provide a refresher but few insights on the challenges they are likely to be facing.
October 21, 2020
I was grateful to have this book recommended to me by a fellow change practitioner.
I read this book slowly. I needed to pause and reflect on my own experiences at so many points slowing down the completion process, but enhancing the absorption that comes from a book rich in learning.
This is a valuable book for those interested in changing an organisation’s culture. It will help you to provide justification for the extensive program needed to achieve this end and the book describes a clear ‘how-to-do-this’ focus.
I bought this on Kindle and it now has a kaleidoscope of colour throughout where I have highlighted key passages – a few of which are provided below.
* Discipline of culture change has taken a long time to be taken seriously in the business community because those who love the opportunity to add value to people have not always been clear enough in proving the links to performance.
* You can influence culture from many positions in an organisation.
* Culture is created and sustained by human beings – their values, needs, aspirations, fears and behaviours.
* Culture develops in any community of people who spend time together and who are bound together through shared goals.
* Culture journey is a long one, it requires considerable investment in both time and emotional energy and is not something to be undertaken in a hurry as a knee-jerk response.
* We humans are basically tribal animals; we are hard-wired to fit in with our tribe
* Many organisations' values statements are one of intent – unless the organisation has worked very actively on living its values over a period of time.
* Behavioural norms evolve over long periods of time and are influenced by many factors including the values or beliefs that brought the community together in the first place; past and present leaders and heroes; historical events, successes and trauma; physical and geographical conditions; the demands and behaviour of external parties – customers, owners, enemies; and many others.
* How to know what is really valued? See where the organisation spends its time and money.
* Is it worth it? Compare what your organisation spends on culture to what it spends on technology or advertising. (This is so true!)
Yep. I’m a fan of Carolyn Taylor’s ‘Walking the Talk: Building a Culture for Success.’
I read this book slowly. I needed to pause and reflect on my own experiences at so many points slowing down the completion process, but enhancing the absorption that comes from a book rich in learning.
This is a valuable book for those interested in changing an organisation’s culture. It will help you to provide justification for the extensive program needed to achieve this end and the book describes a clear ‘how-to-do-this’ focus.
I bought this on Kindle and it now has a kaleidoscope of colour throughout where I have highlighted key passages – a few of which are provided below.
* Discipline of culture change has taken a long time to be taken seriously in the business community because those who love the opportunity to add value to people have not always been clear enough in proving the links to performance.
* You can influence culture from many positions in an organisation.
* Culture is created and sustained by human beings – their values, needs, aspirations, fears and behaviours.
* Culture develops in any community of people who spend time together and who are bound together through shared goals.
* Culture journey is a long one, it requires considerable investment in both time and emotional energy and is not something to be undertaken in a hurry as a knee-jerk response.
* We humans are basically tribal animals; we are hard-wired to fit in with our tribe
* Many organisations' values statements are one of intent – unless the organisation has worked very actively on living its values over a period of time.
* Behavioural norms evolve over long periods of time and are influenced by many factors including the values or beliefs that brought the community together in the first place; past and present leaders and heroes; historical events, successes and trauma; physical and geographical conditions; the demands and behaviour of external parties – customers, owners, enemies; and many others.
* How to know what is really valued? See where the organisation spends its time and money.
* Is it worth it? Compare what your organisation spends on culture to what it spends on technology or advertising. (This is so true!)
Yep. I’m a fan of Carolyn Taylor’s ‘Walking the Talk: Building a Culture for Success.’
June 5, 2020
'Walking the Talk' is about how to change culture. How to evaluate the culture you have, define the one you want, get supporters sign up and execute. Carolyn Taylor identifies three levels of culture: Be-Do-Have, namely who you are, what you do, and what results that leads to for your organisation. The book is presented as a series of steps and potential issues you might face along the way, and places a lot of emphasis on gathering data and how to find supporters. It's very interesting, well-written, and brings to light some fascinating tid-bits, such as:
- Culture needs roughly 3 years to measure a remarkable difference;
- Culture is tested in times of strife, not when things are going on - that's when you show what your default is;
- The greatest gift you can give to your staff is to change their managers to expose them to different viewpoints so that they may form their own;
- Organisations with great cultures tend to promote from within to optimise for values not skills - the values are already vouched for, skills could be gained later;
- The most important influence on an employer's behaviour is their immediate supervisor.
The author mentions that she is surprised by how much people will put up with out of comfort - this book shows that it doesn't have to be that way and that there are active steps anyone can take, regardless of position in the hierarchy, with the right business plan.
- Culture needs roughly 3 years to measure a remarkable difference;
- Culture is tested in times of strife, not when things are going on - that's when you show what your default is;
- The greatest gift you can give to your staff is to change their managers to expose them to different viewpoints so that they may form their own;
- Organisations with great cultures tend to promote from within to optimise for values not skills - the values are already vouched for, skills could be gained later;
- The most important influence on an employer's behaviour is their immediate supervisor.
The author mentions that she is surprised by how much people will put up with out of comfort - this book shows that it doesn't have to be that way and that there are active steps anyone can take, regardless of position in the hierarchy, with the right business plan.
June 11, 2020
3 takeaways from reading the book:
Location 300: Cultures are developed and maintained through the messages that are sent. These messages demonstrate what is valued, what is important and what people do to fit in, be accepted and rewarded. When we learn about these messages, we either 1) adapt our behaviour to the group's behaviour, 2) leave the group voluntarily or 3) leave the group by being ejected by one or more group members.
Location 2450: 3 level culture model:
- Level 1: Have. This is about results that are achieved.
- Level 2: Do. This is about how people behave, how people do things. A couple of examples: How do people do meetings? How do people communicate? How do people develop their skills / learn?
- Level 3: Be. This is about values / beliefs / feelings. Who am I? Who are we?
The book ends with this quote by Mahatma Gandhi: Be the change you want to see.
Location 300: Cultures are developed and maintained through the messages that are sent. These messages demonstrate what is valued, what is important and what people do to fit in, be accepted and rewarded. When we learn about these messages, we either 1) adapt our behaviour to the group's behaviour, 2) leave the group voluntarily or 3) leave the group by being ejected by one or more group members.
Location 2450: 3 level culture model:
- Level 1: Have. This is about results that are achieved.
- Level 2: Do. This is about how people behave, how people do things. A couple of examples: How do people do meetings? How do people communicate? How do people develop their skills / learn?
- Level 3: Be. This is about values / beliefs / feelings. Who am I? Who are we?
The book ends with this quote by Mahatma Gandhi: Be the change you want to see.
September 2, 2012
Quite a heavy book which probably wasn't the best choice to read while on holidays in Thailand! However, an excellent resource to help with strategies on affecting cultural change in the workplace.
The majority of the book was more pitched towards HR managers who have the power to influence change at the top level and are looking to put a long term change management program into place, but helpful nonetheless to implement strategies at a middle management level.
The majority of the book was more pitched towards HR managers who have the power to influence change at the top level and are looking to put a long term change management program into place, but helpful nonetheless to implement strategies at a middle management level.
September 23, 2019
A great culture manual if you are lost and don't know much about the theme. But if you're not going to be an active person that's going to work with culture, it might get boring.
December 26, 2022
Didn't feel the need to marinate it the way I do other business books, but I reference this a lot so 4 stars.
Specifically to my needs, the link between innovation and risk management:
> However, because Innovative Cultures expect to take steps into the unknown frequently, they have also developed very good risk-management processes.
The use of platitudes people can't disagree with without getting into the details for the expected behaviours:
> Assume that if you say ‘teamwork’ to your people, they will believe they are already doing it.
Dunning-Krueger for managers:
> A study asked managers to rank themselves as communicators. One hundred per cent of those asked ranked themselves in the top 50 per cent. Half of those asked ranked themselves in the top 10 per cent.
Behaviours/Symbols/Systems (which Justin refers to often and is what got this book on my radar in the first place)
> Behaviours – the behaviour of others, especially those who appear to be important Symbols – observable events, artefacts and decisions to which people attribute meaning Systems – mechanisms for managing people and tasks Two things to remember from this: Culture is about messages: culture management is about message management. If you can find, and change, enough of the sources of these messages, you will change the culture. Culture is about what is really valued – demonstrated through what people do, rather than what they say.
Specifically to my needs, the link between innovation and risk management:
> However, because Innovative Cultures expect to take steps into the unknown frequently, they have also developed very good risk-management processes.
The use of platitudes people can't disagree with without getting into the details for the expected behaviours:
> Assume that if you say ‘teamwork’ to your people, they will believe they are already doing it.
Dunning-Krueger for managers:
> A study asked managers to rank themselves as communicators. One hundred per cent of those asked ranked themselves in the top 50 per cent. Half of those asked ranked themselves in the top 10 per cent.
Behaviours/Symbols/Systems (which Justin refers to often and is what got this book on my radar in the first place)
> Behaviours – the behaviour of others, especially those who appear to be important Symbols – observable events, artefacts and decisions to which people attribute meaning Systems – mechanisms for managing people and tasks Two things to remember from this: Culture is about messages: culture management is about message management. If you can find, and change, enough of the sources of these messages, you will change the culture. Culture is about what is really valued – demonstrated through what people do, rather than what they say.
February 6, 2020
Useful and comprehensive book on Culture.
It describes what Culture is beyond the buzz words, how to change it, several archetypes and much more.
The most useful parts for me were the archetypes - it helps to see what works and what blocks - and the behavioral part. That last part could almost have been read as a stand alone book on behavioral change of one self and individuals.
It would have been an easier read when it would have been a bit reduced, there is a whole lot of detail. In addition the book is sometimes quite “preachery” which does not facilitate the read.
Hence me taking several months to read it.
It describes what Culture is beyond the buzz words, how to change it, several archetypes and much more.
The most useful parts for me were the archetypes - it helps to see what works and what blocks - and the behavioral part. That last part could almost have been read as a stand alone book on behavioral change of one self and individuals.
It would have been an easier read when it would have been a bit reduced, there is a whole lot of detail. In addition the book is sometimes quite “preachery” which does not facilitate the read.
Hence me taking several months to read it.
February 19, 2022
A primeira metade foi ótima: me trouxe bons insights e reflexões. Já a segunda foi bastante arrastada e repetitiva…
August 23, 2008
According to Taylor, her purpose is to explain how to maximize the number of employees who are actively and positively engaged in helping their organization to achieve its objectives. "This is a `how to' book. It will take you step-by-step from the decision to take on culture as a strategic imperative, to how the process should unfold over a three to five year period, and what should be included in each phase. It will show you how to tackle the most challenging aspects: How to change yourself and how to change other people...In doing so, it creates a blueprint...[Moreover, this book] will enable you to review what you have achieved, map out your next step, and identify factors along the way, which may be contributing to difficulties you are having achieving the traction you seek...[In fact,] this book will provide a whole range of steps you could take, a map of a typical journey, so that you are making choices within a logical framework."
This book is not for all organizations and those executives within them who are charged with designing and then launching change initiatives. Hence the importance of checking out reviews of this book and other works that are most often recommended. That said, many readers will find that Taylor offers the information and counsel they need to build a "culture for success." Presumably she would be the first to agree that it would be a fool's errand to attempt to apply all of the material in her book. Rather, it remains for each reader to select only what is most relevant to her or his own organization's needs, interests, objectives, and resources. Whichever methodology and strategies are selected, the fact remains that leadership of any initiatives must be distributed among everyone involved at each level and in every area of the given enterprise. Whether or not the change initiatives succeed will probably depend upon the extent to which "culture" and "character" are synonymous. Moreover, change initiatives must be guided and informed by shared values and the most important of these are employee-centric. At Southwest Airlines, for example, retired CEO Herb Kelleher that the company would do everything humanly possible to focus on the personal as well professional development of its employees. “If we happy employees, we’ll have happy customers, and if we have happy customers, we’ll have happy shareholders.” Currently, Southwest Airlines is the most profitable of the ten largest airlines and its capital value is greater than the other nine airlines’ combined.
May 13, 2018
This was such an excellent book. We did a small group study with it and it was perfect for families with children of all ages. After reading this book and studying it I was able to confidently talk with my daughter about some difficult preteen matters.
November 14, 2021
Ok, I could never finish it, chalk it up as one more experiment failed
March 20, 2021
One of the best business books I've ever read. Very complete and comprehensive.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews