[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":276},["ShallowReactive",2],{"[article-uid-canyouhearthemusic]":3},{"id":4,"uid":5,"url":6,"type":7,"href":8,"tags":9,"first_publication_date":10,"last_publication_date":11,"slugs":12,"linked_documents":14,"lang":15,"alternate_languages":16,"data":17},"anxqvBIAACgAuWH_","canyouhearthemusic","\u002Finsights\u002Fcanyouhearthemusic","blog_article","https:\u002F\u002Fpolarisconsultants.cdn.prismic.io\u002Fapi\u002Fv2\u002Fdocuments\u002Fsearch?ref=anxtzhIAACgAuWeE&q=%5B%5B%3Ad+%3D+at%28document.id%2C+%22anxqvBIAACgAuWH_%22%29+%5D%5D",[],"2026-08-12T12:54:27+0000","2026-08-12T12:57:50+0000",[13],"fieldnotes-1.6-can-you-hear-the-music-why-the-words-alone-dont-build-culture.",[],"en-us",[],{"title":18,"date":19,"pdf_download":20,"service_type":22,"thumb_image":23,"main_content":34,"testimonial":271,"slices":274,"meta_title":22,"meta_description":22,"meta_image":275},"fieldnotes 1.6: Can you hear the music? Why the words alone don’t build culture.","2026-08-12",{"link_type":21},"Media",null,{"dimensions":24,"alt":27,"copyright":22,"url":28,"id":29,"edit":30},{"width":25,"height":26},510,380,"Can you hear the music?","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fpolarisconsultants\u002Fct0y0BcZ6khbTcEL_1783591317151.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=0%2C0%2C966%2C720&w=510&h=380","ct0y0BcZ6khbTcEL",{"x":31,"y":31,"zoom":32,"background":33},0,1,"transparent",[35,43,48,54,60,62,65,67,70,72,75,77,80,82,87,90,92,100,102,105,107,110,112,115,117,120,122,127,132,137,139,142,144,149,151,154,156,159,161,164,166,169,171,174,176,179,181,186,189,195,200,205,210,215,217,221,224,226,229,231,234,236,241,244,247,250,253,255,258,269],{"type":36,"url":37,"alt":27,"copyright":22,"dimensions":38,"id":41,"edit":42},"image","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fpolarisconsultants\u002FIbEQ_iT9mSZ4iPtW_1783591317151.png?auto=format,compress",{"width":39,"height":40},1280,720,"IbEQ_iT9mSZ4iPtW",{"x":31,"y":31,"zoom":32,"background":33},{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":46,"direction":47},"paragraph","",[],"ltr",{"type":44,"text":49,"spans":50,"direction":47},"Prologue",[51],{"start":31,"end":52,"type":53},8,"strong",{"type":44,"text":55,"spans":56,"direction":47},"June 2025, UK",[57],{"start":31,"end":58,"type":59},13,"em",{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":61,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":63,"spans":64,"direction":47},"It’s a hot June day in the UK. We’ve got the blinds closed in a meeting room that an executive team and I have spent the morning in exploring their non-negotiable behaviours. Those fundamental tenets of how we commit to working with and for each other.",[],{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":66,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":68,"spans":69,"direction":47},"It’s been a great session. We’ve landed on a draft of behaviours and gone deep on the specifics of what each of these looks like in practice. I can tell the group is ready to finish and get a cold drink.",[],{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":71,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":73,"spans":74,"direction":47},"As I make my closing remarks I comment that “what we do with these words now is even more important than the words themselves”. The statement almost catches in my throat as I deliver it. It’s the kind of generalised claim I try to avoid and one that taken the wrong way could diminish the morning’s work.",[],{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":76,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":78,"spans":79,"direction":47},"It lands well with the group – phew - and as I drive home after the session, I mull on the claim more realising that while instinctive and maybe even a little dramatic, I think there is some truth that sits behind it…",[],{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":81,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":83,"spans":84,"direction":47},"Field notes",[85],{"start":31,"end":86,"type":53},11,{"type":44,"text":88,"spans":89,"direction":47},"One of the exercises we find ourselves often running at Polaris Consultants is developing non-negotiable behaviours (you might call these principles, values, virtues) for both leadership teams but also at the scale of the organisation too.",[],{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":91,"direction":47},[],{"type":36,"url":93,"alt":94,"copyright":22,"dimensions":95,"id":98,"edit":99},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fpolarisconsultants\u002FTivCE4_-dFyZ8qR7_1783591142839.jpeg?auto=format,compress","Stickies on paper board",{"width":96,"height":97},1125,1500,"TivCE4_-dFyZ8qR7",{"x":31,"y":31,"zoom":32,"background":33},{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":101,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":103,"spans":104,"direction":47},"These are crucial efforts. They set expectations, they make a statement about who we are, they shape the way we work together. They often become part of hiring criteria, performance reviews, awards dinners.",[],{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":106,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":108,"spans":109,"direction":47},"It’s no surprise then that they are often thought as synonymous with (or at least the output of) culture programmes. When done right these programmes can be truly culture shaping. People coming together to discuss and sometimes debate what really matters around here.",[],{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":111,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":113,"spans":114,"direction":47},"We work hard on these programmes to give as many people as possible the opportunity to contribute to the conversation. Be that through interviews, workshops or surveys. This not only shapes more informed outcomes, but it also creates ‘skin-in-the-game’.",[],{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":116,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":118,"spans":119,"direction":47},"And it is skin-in-the-game that really matters. There is lots of psychology that supports this idea, for example:",[],{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":121,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":123,"spans":124,"direction":47},"Cialdini’s work on Consistency: from his work on influence, the idea that once people make a public, voluntary or written commitment, they strive to remain consistent with that. This is driven in part by a desire to fit in with the crowd by appearing reliable.",[125],{"start":31,"end":126,"type":53},31,{"type":44,"text":128,"spans":129,"direction":47},"Effort justification: the harder we work for something, the more we value it. Conversely, the stuff that comes easy we often value less.",[130],{"start":31,"end":131,"type":53},22,{"type":44,"text":133,"spans":134,"direction":47},"Sunk-cost effect: people continue investing because they have already invested. For example, finishing a hard-to-read book even though stopping would be easier.",[135],{"start":31,"end":136,"type":53},17,{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":138,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":140,"spans":141,"direction":47},"The point here is that contribution (public contribution is even better) creates commitment. But commitment to what?",[],{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":143,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":145,"spans":146,"direction":47},"This for me is the kicker…",[147],{"start":31,"end":148,"type":59},26,{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":150,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":152,"spans":153,"direction":47},"We might think it is the 3-5 words or statements created as outputs to the project. Respect, care, having each other’s backs. This is where our focus has been over the last weeks and months in crafting the right language and sentiment.",[],{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":155,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":157,"spans":158,"direction":47},"Let me be clear these words are essential. Without them there is no structure, no guiding framework. However, the words don’t shape culture, the behaviours and conversations they trigger do.",[],{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":160,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":162,"spans":163,"direction":47},"A metaphor I like is that the words for the non-negotiables or values (whatever we choose to call them) are like sheet music. Without them it is impossible to know if we have the right tune or not. But they are no use if when the music starts playing, we don’t use them to guide us. If we don’t self-correct or help others to do the same.",[],{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":165,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":167,"spans":168,"direction":47},"For this reason, I believe the key skill is developing the capability to have conversations about culture in organisations. To normalise this process. This is the part that is as, if not more, important than the words themselves.",[],{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":170,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":172,"spans":173,"direction":47},"The words may change over time but the capability to be aware when we are out of tune and re-align is an essential component of high-performance teams, organisations and cultures.",[],{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":175,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":177,"spans":178,"direction":47},"Without this ability, even the best words fall short.",[],{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":180,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":182,"spans":183,"direction":47},"The shift",[184],{"start":31,"end":185,"type":53},9,{"type":44,"text":187,"spans":188,"direction":47},"Here are 5 ways to put these insights into action on your own team or culture-building programmes:",[],{"type":190,"text":191,"spans":192,"direction":47},"list-item","Don’t stop at the words. Spend as much time designing how your team will use, challenge and reinforce your non-negotiables as you do crafting the statements themselves.",[193],{"start":31,"end":194,"type":53},24,{"type":190,"text":196,"spans":197,"direction":47},"Create contribution before commitment. Involve people in shaping the behaviours wherever possible. The more they contribute, the more likely they are to own, uphold and defend them.",[198],{"start":31,"end":199,"type":53},39,{"type":190,"text":201,"spans":202,"direction":47},"Turn values into conversations. Build regular moments into meetings, retrospectives and one-to-ones to ask, “Where are we living this?” and “Where are we drifting?”",[203],{"start":31,"end":204,"type":53},32,{"type":190,"text":206,"spans":207,"direction":47},"Make self-correction normal. High-performing cultures are not those that never lose their way, but those that notice quickly and are confident enough to realign without blame.",[208],{"start":31,"end":209,"type":53},28,{"type":190,"text":211,"spans":212,"direction":47},"Judge success by behaviour, not posters. The real measure of a values programme is not whether people can recite the words, but whether those words consistently shape decisions, relationships and performance.",[213],{"start":31,"end":214,"type":53},41,{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":216,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":218,"spans":219,"direction":47},"Epilogue",[220],{"start":31,"end":52,"type":53},{"type":44,"text":222,"spans":223,"direction":47},"Not much of an epilogue this time other than to say that at Polaris Consultants we are thinking a lot about how we help teams and organisations to write the music, play it and self-correct when they inevitably lose the tune from time to time.",[],{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":225,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":227,"spans":228,"direction":47},"And losing the tune is inevitable. Sometimes the tension of not wanting to make a mistake leads to more mistakes. However, and live music fans may relate, it is often in the moments where things go wrong or off-script that magic can be found in the performance.",[],{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":230,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":232,"spans":233,"direction":47},"This feels like a topic for another time.",[],{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":235,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":237,"spans":238,"direction":47},"Notes",[239],{"start":31,"end":240,"type":53},5,{"type":44,"text":242,"spans":243,"direction":47},"For more on the theories referenced in this paper check out:",[],{"type":190,"text":245,"spans":246,"direction":47},"Consistency and commitment: Robert Cialdini (2021). Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion",[],{"type":190,"text":248,"spans":249,"direction":47},"Effort justification: https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FEffort_justification",[],{"type":190,"text":251,"spans":252,"direction":47},"Sunk Cost: Daniel Kahneman (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow",[],{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":254,"direction":47},[],{"type":44,"text":256,"spans":257,"direction":47},"You can subscribe to fieldnotes1.0 on LinkedIn: ",[],{"type":259,"oembed":260},"embed",{"embed_url":261,"type":262,"version":263,"title":264,"provider_name":265,"thumbnail_url":266,"html":267,"url":268},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.linkedin.com\u002Fbuild-relation\u002Fnewsletter-follow?entityUrn=7425522268870537216","link","1.0","LinkedIn Login, Sign in | LinkedIn","website","https:\u002F\u002Fstatic.licdn.com\u002Fscds\u002Fcommon\u002Fu\u002Fimages\u002Flogos\u002Ffavicons\u002Fv1\u002Ffavicon.ico","\u003Cdiv data-type=\"website\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.linkedin.com\u002Flogin\">\u003Ch1>LinkedIn Login, Sign in | LinkedIn\u003C\u002Fh1>\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fstatic.licdn.com\u002Fscds\u002Fcommon\u002Fu\u002Fimages\u002Flogos\u002Ffavicons\u002Fv1\u002Ffavicon.ico\">\u003Cp>Login to LinkedIn to keep in touch with people you know, share ideas, and build your career.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fdiv>","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.linkedin.com\u002Flogin",{"type":44,"text":45,"spans":270,"direction":47},[],[272],{"quote":273,"client":22},[],[],{},1787140593825]