The Challenge
A multinational with operations across Europe, Asia, North America, and Africa was facing a crucial moment. After rapid growth, leadership saw high performance but also risks: fragmented collaboration across regions, lack of ownership, and cultural legacies that no longer served the future. The executive team realized that some cultural elements needed to be preserved, while others had to be redefined for a new era.
Our Approach
We designed a global cultural assessment combining intake sessions, fieldwork, and deep analysis. Anthropologists embedded themselves in offices and production sites across continents, engaging in conversations at every level: from shop floors to boardrooms. Through interviews, observations, and informal dialogue, we collected a mosaic of micro-stories that revealed the internal cultural logic.
Cultural Analysis
Patterns became visible:
- Regional silos undermined global collaboration.
- Leadership accountability varied widely across geographies.
- Old habits and rituals persisted, sometimes blocking innovation.
- Employees longed for more connection, clarity, and shared purpose.
Boardroom Consultancy
In parallel, we worked closely with the executive team. Through boardroom dialogues, we helped leaders reflect on blind spots, align strategy with culture, and connect long-term ambitions with daily lived reality. We facilitated campfire conversations across continents, enabling collective sense-making and co-creation of the future cultural principles.
The Outcome
The multinational is now moving toward a more connected and accountable culture. Shared rituals and new symbols are strengthening belonging across continents, while leaders are more consistent and present. By anchoring cultural strategy in both global ambitions and local realities, the organization is better prepared to deliver on its purpose worldwide.
