The Culture Hat.
The behaviours the firm repeatedly permits and therefore teaches others to copy.
“That's just how they are” overrides stated values.
Actual culture is determined by tolerated behaviour rather than published values.
- Observable standards
- Partner consistency
- Consequences
- Protected truth-tellers
Measuring your firm's culture without guessing
Five ways to measure what the culture actually is — a competing values survey, the Toleration Test, an exceptions log, numbers you already hold, and scheduled conversations.
Measuring your firm's culture without guessing→
Five ways to measure what the culture actually is — a competing values survey, the Toleration Test, an exceptions log, numbers you already hold, and scheduled conversations.
Culture survey — now vs preferredSign up to read →
A competing values survey for the whole firm: where people think the culture is, where they want it, and the gap between partners and everyone else.
Strategy
Direction, deliberate choices, priorities, and what the firm will decline.
Commercial
Understanding how the firm makes, loses, and leaks money.
People
Performance, behaviour, wellbeing, development, supervision, and exits.
Operations
Workflows, handoffs, waiting points, process consistency, and operating design.
Technology
The behavioural and process change surrounding technology, not merely procurement.
Client Experience
The consistency, clarity, responsiveness, and confidence experienced by clients.
Compliance & Risk
The living connection between formal policy and actual behaviour under pressure.
New Business
Where the next client comes from — marketing, referrals, enquiries, and proposals.
We also run Techsperience (legal-tech support) and Clearmatter (matter management). Mostly we write. Learn more →