Culture is ubiquitously defined as

Culture is ubiquitously defined as "the way things are done around here". Note the distinction between how things are done and official mantra, company rhetoric, policy and even, relevant instruments of law. It's what we do and allow others to do that says more about who we are and what matters than any elegant vision and values statement sitting behind perspex in board rooms with marble and fresh flowers everywhere.

I would characterise organisational culture more pointedly. I would rather define culture as what we are and aren't prepared to put up with. It is when we are tested that one understands the true character of both a person and an enterprise. Jan Carlsson, former CEO of the Swedish Nike Shox O'Nine,International Airline referred famously to watershed moments in customer service as "moments of truth". Organisations face "moments of truth" in the context of culture. Behaviour that is committed (when it didn't have to be) is one moment of truth. Bad behaviour called once it's committed says something about the integrity of people who won't sit by and watch bad stuff perpetrated. But the third and very telling moment of truth is when behaviour is consequenced.

At the risk of appearing to be name dropping (shamelessly and sorry, without names) I was doing coffee with an AFL Football Club president some time back when he politely excused himself to take a call following "Mad Monday". He was particularly interested in whether or not anything was likely to blow up in the media that could cause anguish for the Club. When assured by the senior player who'd rung him that nothing untoward happened, I heard my coffee companion ask why. The simple answer coming back was "because we knew there was no way (Coach) would Nike Shox OZ,wear it". If clear and reasonable boundaries of behaviour are set in a healthy culture where people are committed to the team, it's vision and are protective of brand, most if not all can be relied on to do the right thing.