Culture is the invisible scaffolding that shapes how people work, relate, and innovate. It’s the underlying force that determines how decisions are made, how power is distributed, and how inclusive (or exclusive) an organization truly is.
Despite its profound impact, culture is often misunderstood. Many leaders view it as something owned by HR or a function of leadership values when, in reality, every individual in an organization creates culture—consciously or unconsciously—through their behaviors, choices, and interactions.
The truth? Culture is not what leaders say it is. It’s what employees experience every day.
And within every organization, I believe there are five types of people who shape, preserve, or transform culture.
I call them the Five Culture Keepers:
- The Culture Maintainer – Preserves traditions, norms, and identity
- The Culture Anchor – Grounds teams in shared values and purpose
- The Culture Shifter – Drives change and reimagines new possibilities
- The Culture Breaker – Challenges inequities and exposes hidden barriers
- The Culture Adjuster – Bridges gaps and fine-tunes culture in small but meaningful ways
Understanding these roles isn’t just an intellectual exercise—it’s a leadership imperative. These roles exist in every organization, whether leaders recognize them or not. The question is whether they will be ignored, resisted, or harnessed for impact.
Leaders who fail to recognize these roles leave culture up to chance. But when they intentionally identify, support, and balance their Culture Keepers, they can create workplaces where inclusion thrives, people feel a sense of belonging, and the organization becomes a place where innovation, collaboration, and equity aren’t just aspirations—they’re reality.
Let’s explore them in depth.
Culture Begins the Moment Someone Walks Through the Door
Culture-keeping begins the moment someone joins the organization. From the onboarding process to their first meeting, new hires observe, absorb, and—whether they realize it or not—shape the culture.
The unspoken rules are everywhere. In the way meetings begin, in whose voice carries the most weight, in how people respond to mistakes. They notice whether the organization operates in silos or collaboration, whether difficult conversations are welcomed or avoided, whether their perspectives are truly valued or merely tolerated.
Most organizations treat onboarding as a process of assimilation—helping employees figure out how to fit in. But culture is not about fitting in. It is about co-creation.
New employees bring fresh perspectives and an opportunity for the organization to learn and adapt. The best workplaces don’t just tell employees, “Here’s how we do things.” They ask, “What can we do better?”
This is where the Five Culture Keepers come in.
The Five Culture Keepers and Their Role in Inclusion
Inclusion doesn’t happen by accident. It is shaped through everyday decisions, behaviors, and interactions—and Culture Keepers are the people who make or break an inclusive workplace.
Each role contributes uniquely to advancing inclusion, strengthening culture, and driving long-term transformation.
Let’s explore them in depth.
The Culture Maintainers: Preserving Stability in a Changing World
Maintainers are the people who keep organizations anchored in tradition. They uphold the rituals, norms, and routines that provide continuity, ensuring that the organization does not lose its sense of identity as the organization grows.
In many ways, Maintainers serve as an organization’s memory. They remind teams why certain processes were implemented, carry forward practices that reinforce community, and create a sense of stability in moments of disruption.
But left unchecked, Maintainers can also be the gatekeepers of stagnation. Their commitment to continuity can lead to resistance to necessary change. When “the way we’ve always done things” becomes a reason to dismiss progress, Maintainers become a roadblock instead of a foundation.
The key to leading Maintainers well is honoring their role without allowing it to become a barrier to evolution. Smart leaders pair them with Shifters—those who push for new ideas—so that innovation does not come at the cost of stability, and stability does not come at the cost of progress.
The Culture Breakers: Dismantling Barriers That Others Ignore
Breakers are the ones who call out the unspoken. They notice the inequities that others have learned to work around. They expose the biases embedded in hiring processes, the unwritten rules that exclude certain voices, and the invisible power structures that keep real change from happening.
Where others see discomfort, Breakers see a necessary conversation. They ask the questions others avoid, pushing their organizations to be more honest, transparent, and accountable.
But this work is not easy. Breakers are often dismissed as disruptors, their critiques unwelcome in cultures prioritizing harmony over honesty. Without support, they can burn out—fighting battles that should not have been theirs to fight alone.
The best organizations do not just tolerate Breakers—they create space for them. They ensure that raising concerns leads to action, that those challenging the status quo are not left isolated, and that discomfort is recognized as a sign of growth, not a threat to be silenced.
The Culture Shifters: Reimagining What Culture Could Be
If Breakers expose the cracks, Shifters imagine what could be built in their place. They are the visionaries, the architects of new ways of working.
Shifters see what is missing and work to create it. They introduce leadership programs that expand access to opportunity, advocate for rethinking outdated performance metrics, and design new ways to build trust and collaboration.
But the challenge for Shifters is not seeing the future—it is bringing others along. Transformation cannot be dictated. It requires buy-in, trust, and patience. Shifters who move too quickly can find themselves alienated instead of embraced.
Great leaders don’t just celebrate Shifters’ ideas—they help them build coalitions, ensuring that innovation is bold and sustainable.
The Culture Anchors: Keeping Organizations Rooted in Their Values
Anchors are an organization’s moral compass. While others may push for speed or change, Anchors ensure that the organization remains true to its core purpose.
Anchors ask, “Does this align with who we say we are?” They hold leaders accountable, reminding them that culture is not just what is convenient but what is right.
But even Anchors must evolve. If they become too rigid, they can mistake tradition for integrity, resisting change even when change is necessary. The most effective Anchors balance steadiness with adaptability—those who recognize that staying true to values does not mean staying the same.
The Culture Adjusters: The Quiet Forces That Make Change Stick
Adjusters are often the most overlooked Culture Keepers, yet they are essential to making culture work in practice. While others focus on big-picture change, Adjusters fine-tune the details that ensure inclusion is not just an idea, but a reality.
They notice when team norms subtly exclude certain people. They bridge misunderstandings, mediate tensions, and ensure that small but significant changes—from how meetings are structured to how feedback is given—actually happen.
Their work is often invisible, but its impact is undeniable. Without them, culture change remains theoretical. With them, it becomes tangible.
Leading Culture Keepers Well
The best leaders do not try to control culture—they learn to understand it. They recognize their Culture Keepers, their roles, and how to create an environment where each contributes to something greater.
They balance tradition with transformation, critique with action, and stability with evolution.
In the end, culture is not built from the top down or the bottom up. It is built everywhere, all at once. The only question is whether we are leading it or simply letting it happen.