Culture Bites

Culture doesn’t happen by accident.

The systems, structures, measures and leadership behaviours inside an organisation are constantly sending people messages about what is really expected — and those messages become culture.

In this episode of Culture Bites, Dominic Gourley explores the Human Synergistics How Culture Works model and explains why lasting culture change requires leaders to look beyond values statements and engagement results to the causes underneath.

Using examples including ownership, innovation, performance and safety, Dominic explores how organisations can unintentionally reinforce the very behaviours they say they want to change.

If you want to change performance, change the culture. And if you want to change the culture, start with the causes.

What does it really mean to be decisive?

It doesn’t always mean making one big call and committing everything. Sometimes the better approach is to make a smaller decision, take the next useful step, learn something and decide again.

In this episode of Culture Bites, Dominic Gourley continues the Leader’s Toolbox series by exploring a more practical approach to decisive decision making.

Dominic looks at how leaders can escape analysis paralysis, turn assumptions into experiments, make uncertainty more specific and distinguish between the quality of a decision and the outcome it produces.

He also explores why the way organisations respond when calculated risks don’t work out can either encourage people to make decisions – or teach them to push every decision upwards.

Because decisiveness isn’t about being certain you’re right. It’s about being willing to move forward, learn quickly and make the next decision.

Visit the full notes for this episode here: https://www.human-synergistics.com.au/resources/culture-insights-blog/how-to-make-decisive-decisions/

In this episode of Culture Bites, Dominic Gourley adds another practical tool to the Leader’s Toolbox: SBI – Situation, Behaviour, Impact.

Dominic explores how leaders can give feedback that is specific, constructive and more likely to create learning rather than defensiveness. He explains why good feedback starts before the conversation, how relationships and intent shape the way feedback is received, why leaders should “choose their hard” and address issues early, and how to use the three steps of SBI.

You’ll also hear how SBI can make positive feedback more useful, what to do after you’ve delivered the feedback, and why becoming better at receiving feedback is just as important as learning how to give it.

Visit the full notes for this episode here: https://www.human-synergistics.com.au/resources/culture-insights-blog/how-to-give-better-feedback-with-sbi/

What if one of the most powerful leadership tools only took five minutes?

In this episode, you'll discover the four simple questions that can transform the way you reflect on meetings, presentations, client conversations, projects and even your own leadership.

We also explore:

Why life is training... if you're paying attention

The difference between Achievement and Perfectionistic thinking

How to use After Action Reviews to build a culture of continuous improvement

Real examples of using the tool after client meetings, workshops and leadership coaching

Why small, consistent improvements compound into exceptional performance

Whether you lead a team or simply want to improve your own performance, this episode will give you a practical tool you can start using today.

The four questions

What was supposed to happen?

What actually happened?

Why did it happen that way?

What will we repeat or do differently next time?

Visit the full notes for this episode here: https://www.human-synergistics.com.au/resources/after-action-review/

Join us at the Annual Culture and Leadership Conference. We're in Melbourne August 25th, Sydney September 1st. Registration is free - secure your spot today! https://www.human-synergistics.com.au/2026-conference/