Did you know there’s someone in your company whose time and influence scales much more quickly than a typical employee? Don’t overlook the power of your leaders—they set the tone, demonstrate the behaviors that are most appropriate, and possess the ability to amass cultural capital that deeply influences your company. You know, that culture: the set of unwritten rules and unspoken expectations that quietly shape how everyone works, interacts, and succeeds, even though it rarely appears in any formal documentation.
Leadership culture is the foundational force that determines how ideas spread, problems get solved, and innovation happens in organizations—especially those with younger Millennial and Gen Z workforces. In fast-growing companies, the leadership group becomes the blueprint for what’s possible, permissible, and celebrated, making their approach to communication and influence critical for organizational success .
The Modern Shift: From Command-and-Control to Empathetic Influence
Picture an executive imported from a legacy brand into a startup poised for an IPO. With a traditional command-and-control attitude, the leader stays silent during a quiet period—prompting confusion and anxiety among the younger team. Millennial and Gen Z employees expect transparency, empathy, and regular engagement, not the absence of dialogue. In such moments, leadership culture is put to the test; the gap between old-school habits and modern expectations becomes obvious .
To thrive, leadership culture needs executives who are willing and able to express empathy—especially when circumstances prevent sharing full information. A simple, honest message (“I’m thinking of you, I understand this is difficult, and I’ll reach out as soon as I can”) can soften anxiety, increase trust, and reinforce values that win loyalty and involvement. Authentic communication is the cornerstone of leadership culture in younger companies, where emotional intelligence is valued just as highly as strategic brilliance .
Executive Coaching Techniques to Strengthen Leadership Culture
-
Guide leaders to favor connection and authenticity over control.
-
Coach executives to notice nonverbal cues and listen deeply—even on digital platforms.
-
Offer specific strategies for addressing uncertainty, tailored for Millennial and Gen Z teams.
-
Encourage vulnerability and openness: admitting when “I don’t know what to say” can enhance credibility and trust.
-
Make empathy practical with actionable touch points: check-ins, friendly notes, and reassuring messages during periods of organizational stress all build a healthy leadership culture. When mediums allow, make those touch points interactive so people can respond, comment or leave their reactions later for company leaders to consider later.
Leadership Culture: Small Gestures, Deep Impact
Startups and small companies often experience rapid transitions, making cultural influence especially powerful. The top-down approach is becoming obsolete; instead, influential cultures arise when leaders make empathy a habit and connection their “purpose.” A compassionate update or brief message during silence can be the defining moment that solidifies positive, lasting leadership culture.
Years ago, I was on a coaching call with a C-suite leader at a company that was in the process of going public. He had come to the startup from one of those big, household brands we all know and he was on the company’s leadership team.
This leader’s command-and-control leadership type believed and was experienced in modeling the behavior of doing and saying nothing. He was silent on the web meeting and would not engage with me as I tried to connect and build rapport and after presenting a 1-slide ‘how to’ using the company’s communications platform. It was a big moment for me of what seemed like failure to inspire him about the role and importance of empathy.
Is Resistance Essential Rather Than Futile?
After about 30 seconds of his stonewalling, I began to share context I’d hoped would interest him. I’d done some listening work with the employees and they were early career people- full of enthusiasm and creativity and very connected to the company’s purpose. In my head, the composite of employees’ voices in multiple job roles on multiple continents was fresh. Many of them had never experienced a quiet period before and to them the silence was not only deafening, it was revving up their imaginations. Fear and anxiety were dominant. I was certainly no expert, but I had myself been through two IPOs in my own career (I failed to share that because I didn’t want the exchange to seem self-centered; perhaps another mistake).
My hope to inspire him was: If circumstances dictate that you [a leader] cannot say anything to your team/company- at least reach out and reassure. Say, “I’m thinking of you. I’m imagining how you feel right now. Unfortunately, I can’t give updates because of what’s required legally during a quiet period. It’s going to be like this for a bit. You aren’t going to know what’s going on. But it’s not forever, it will pass. I look forward to being in touch soon.”
We heard back that he was disappointed in the meeting but despite that, I saw my council become reality the next day. He posted to the social network and it helped ease the uncertainty.
The Leadership Culture Imperative
Don’t underestimate the impact leaders have on company culture. A robust leadership culture aligns behaviors across the organization, drives performance, and turns values into everyday habits. When leaders build trust through empathy, the whole company benefits—especially for younger workforces motivated by meaning and belonging.
Embrace the new era: focus executive coaching on building leadership culture, and see how even small actions from influential leaders can reshape the work experience for everyone.