Trending
As we kick off 2026, leaders are still tripping over the same problem: They keep saying things that sound right about culture, employee experience (EX), and customer experience (CX) while getting the same disappointing results.
That’s not a communication issue.cIt’s a leadership issue. Actually, an understanding issue. And it’s an issue within our profession, as well.
Stop perpetuating these sayings! What leaders say (especially on repeat), employees deem important.
Certain phrases have become corporate comfort blankets. They sound wise. They feel progressive. They signal “we care.” But in reality, they replace thinking, delay action, and excuse poor design.
Here are the statements leaders need to retire – immediately – and the truths that should replace them. (Why? Because employees are listening. They hear what leaders say; think it’s important; and (tend to) believe it. Some see through it, but why should they. Let’s just be real!)
CULTURE BABBLE
Culture starts at the top
It’s nonsense because…
Maybe it’s semantics, but culture doesn’t start or fail at the top. Senior leaders design it (the culture they desire) and set direction and tone, but daily behavior is shaped by managers, incentives, and operational realities. It fractures in the middle and collapses at the frontline.
The truth that drives action…
Culture is reinforced – or broken – by what leaders tolerate, reward, and promote at every level. If your middle managers aren’t equipped and held accountable (like leaders), your culture strategy is fiction.
We have a strong culture
It’s nonsense because…
Every organization has a culture (designed or allowed), but calling it “strong” without evidence is meaningless. And most do not have the evidence! (Or a strong culture!)
The truth that drives action…
The real question is whether your culture is intentional, measurable, and aligned to the outcomes you want. If you can’t describe how it shows up in decisions and behaviors, it’s not strong – it’s accidental.
Our values guide everything we do
It’s nonsense because…
Values aren’t guiding your actions; your systems are. Budgets, metrics, decisions, and promotions reveal what actually matters in your organization.
The truth that drives action…
If values aren’t embedded into performance expectations, decision-making frameworks, and leadership consequences (really, into everything you do), they’re just wall decor. It’s time to define the associated behaviors and then socialize and operationalize your values.
We just need a culture shift
It’s nonsense because…
Culture doesn’t just “shift.” It changes only when behaviors, power structures, and priorities change.
The truth that drives action…
Stop calling for a culture shift and start identifying specific behaviors – especially from leaders – that must stop, start, and scale.
Culture is how we do things around here
It’s nonsense because…
While it’s true that culture is how we do things (and I love this easy way of describing culture), it’s useless without knowing: which things? who decides? what gets rewarded? what gets punished? Clarity on those things and more are critical to ensuring it is/becomes how we do things around here.
The truth that drives action…
It’s time to define the values and their associated behaviors. And then you must socialize and operationalize that. If employees don’t know how to do their work through the lens of the values, then culture is NOT how we do things around here.
* Read these 10 Harsh Truths About Culture to stop some of this babble.
EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE BABBLE
Happy employees equal happy customers
It’s nonsense because…
It’s over-simplified and misleading. Happiness is not a business strategy. It’s also not sustainable. And it doesn’t help employees do their jobs and serve their customers.
The truth that drives action…
Customers benefit when employees are clear on expectations, empowered to act, supported by good systems, and treated fairly. They need the tools, resources, and training to do their jobs well. They also need processes that aren’t broken or policies that are outdated. Remove the friction. All that beats happiness every time. (It also creates it!)
People leave managers, not companies
It’s nonsense because…
It’s a cute soundbite, but in reality, people leave bad systems, unclear priorities, poor leadership tolerance, and career stagnation – and managers are often just the messengers, taking the blame for organizational failures they didn’t design. Those failures are deeply rooted in the culture that was either designed or allowed by the CEO/executive team/leaders.
The truth that drives action…
People leave confusion, inconsistency, broken processes, lack of growth, and tolerated bad leadership. Fix the system, fix the culture, and manager performance improves with it. And employee retention does too.
We treat employees like family
It’s nonsense because…
Families avoid hard conversations and tolerate dysfunction. High-performing organizations don’t/shouldn’t; they set expectations, give feedback, and make tough calls. Most organizations treat employees like a cog in the wheel to organizational success; that doesn’t sound like family.
The truth that drives action…
Employees don’t need a family. They need trust, respect, fairness, and development. They need leaders who care. Professional accountability builds trust faster than emotional language ever will.
EX is HR’s responsibility
It’s nonsense because…
HR can design frameworks. They do not control daily experience. Many (most) HR leaders simply haven’t been trained or empowered to lead experience design.
The truth that drives action…
Employee experience is shaped by leaders, managers, tools, workflows, and decisions. If leaders outsource EX, they also outsource performance. Read this article and this one to get more details on what to do.
We offer great perks, so our EX is strong
It’s nonsense because…
Perks are not the experience (or the culture). Respect, trust, autonomy, fairness, and growth are. Free snacks won’t fix a broken operating model/culture.
The truth that drives action…
Employee experience is often misunderstood. It’s not perks. It’s not culture (a precursor to the employee experience). It’s not employee engagement (an outcome of a great experience). Read this article to learn What Exactly is Employee Experience?. And read my latest book, Employee Understanding, to find out what you need to do the ensure employees have that great experience.
* By the way, this post about Employee Experience Myths will also stop some of this babble.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE BABBLE
The customer is always right
It’s nonsense because…
They aren’t. Pretending they are creates burned-out employees and bad business decisions. This mindset destroys employee morale and leads to bad business decisions.
The truth that drives action…
They are not always right, but they are the customer. They drive the business. So, great CX balances customer needs and problems to be solved, employee judgment, and business sustainability. Respecting employees is not anti-customer; it’s pro-outcome. Listen to customers. Find out what the issue is. And propose a solution that works for everyone.
We put the customer at the center of everything
It’s nonsense because…
It just is! If it were true, customers wouldn’t experience internal silos, hand-offs, and friction designed for organizational convenience.
The truth that drives action…
Customer-centricity shows up in process design, decision speed, and accountability, not slogans. Customer understanding is the cornerstone of customer-centricity. Customer-centricity means there are no discussions, decisions, or designs without first bringing in the voice of the customer and considering the impact that the decision or the design has on the customer. It means asking, “How will this impact the customer? How will it make her feel? Does it add value, or does it create pain?”
CX is everyone’s job
It’s nonsense because…
Well, it just is! When everyone owns it, it’s no one’s job. No one is accountable. Without ownership, governance, and accountability, this is just corporate wishful thinking. And a nice slogan.
The truth that drives action…
CX requires clear ownership, governance, metrics, and authority. Shared responsibility only works when someone is clearly in charge. Every employee, frontline and back office, impacts the experience – but they don’t own it.
We just need to delight customers
It’s nonsense because…
Delight is not a strategy. Consistency, reliability, and trust come first. Most companies can’t even get the basics right. Seriously.
The truth that drives action…
You’ve got to listen to customers and understand their needs, preferences, expectations, jobs to be done, and problems to be solved. Without this information, you cannot design and deliver an experience that customers desire.
We listen to the voice of the customer
It’s nonsense because…
Collecting feedback is not listening. Listening requires change. And, by the way, surveys are not the only way to listen to customers.
The truth that drives action…
If insights don’t lead to prioritized action, closed feedback loops, and systemic fixes, you’re just checking a box and harvesting data, not listening. It’s not enough to listen. You must act on what you hear. And close the loop with employees and customers.
* Read this post about Customer Experience Misconceptions to stop some of this babble.
OTHER TRANSFORMATION BABBLE
We just need better alignment
It’s nonsense because…
Alignment is one of the most overused and misunderstood words in business today. Too often, it’s interpreted as agreement, as if true alignment only exists when everyone sees things the same way, feels the same way, and votes the same way. That’s not alignment. That’s a bottleneck.
The truth that drives action…
Real alignment – the kind that moves companies forward – isn’t about consensus. It’s about ownership, trust, and commitment, even when there’s disagreement.
It’s Just a mindset shift
It’s nonsense because…
Changing mindsets takes time, reflection, and often discomfort. It requires people to unlearn, question assumptions, and adopt new ways of thinking. That’s far harder than teaching a new behavior.
The truth that drives action…
Change what leaders do, reward, and reinforce, and mindsets will catch up. The real mastery is using behavior change as a gateway to mindset change. You start by shaping new actions, then use those experiences to challenge old beliefs and reinforce new ones. That’s how change becomes permanent.
We’re on a TRANSFORMATION journey
It’s nonsense because…
Fine. Where are you going? What’s changing this quarter? Who owns it? Otherwise, this is just corporate stalling. Journeys without milestones are excuses.
The truth that drives action…
If nothing material is changing, i.e., structures, expectations, funding, or accountability, you’re not transforming. You’re narrating. Oh, and make sure you’ve got some success metrics in place, too.
Companies that change may survive, but companies that transform thrive. Change brings incremental or small-scale adaptations, while transformation brings great improvements that ripple through the future of an organization. ~ Nick Candito
IN CLOSING
These sayings persist because they sound safe, avoid accountability, require no operational change, and let leaders feel progressive without being brave. But if you don’t understand what they mean or what it requires to either make them a reality (or not, for some of them!), then it’s just babble.
Real culture, EX, and CX work is specific, uncomfortable, and measurable. If a statement can’t be tied to a behavior change, a leadership decision, a system or process redesign, or a measurable outcome, it’s not insight. It’s noise.
In 2026, leaders don’t need better language. They need better follow-through. And it starts by not believing/saying the things that make you sound like you don’t know what you’re talking about. If you’re going to say these things, then know the reality and the behavior change required.
A leader is best when people barely know he exists. They will say: we did it ourselves. ~ Lao Tzu.
Related: Alignment Isn’t Consensus: Why “Disagree and Commit” Is a Leadership Advantage