Recently, in a conversation with a CEO we are working with on strategic planning, we were discussing succession planning. The HR Director referenced the need to find a successor CEO who would match the organization’s culture and values. The CEO responded by observing that much of the organization’s culture was a result of, or outgrowth of, his personality. He suggested they should expect the culture to evolve with the next CEO and that fit might not be as important as they assumed.

His comment gave voice to something I have been thinking about a lot lately. Organizations inevitably reflect the personalities of their leaders, whether leaders shape that intentionally or not. Leaders can influence culture deliberately, or they can allow it to evolve passively. But when culture develops by default, the least productive parts of a leader’s personality often become amplified.

In the nonprofit sector especially, where organizations are deeply mission-driven and leaders often feel personally connected to the work, this dynamic can become even more pronounced. Commitment, urgency, and sacrifice can become embedded into culture in ways that are both powerful and unsustainable.

For instance, I am a workaholic. I know this about myself, and I recognize that sending emails on weekends and at night creates pressure on colleagues to work similarly, even when I explicitly say I do not expect responses. Leaders communicate expectations through behavior far more than words. I may hope that my enthusiasm for work trickles down, but I also have to acknowledge that it can unintentionally reinforce a culture where boundaries are harder to maintain.

That realization became especially important as we redefined our firm’s values last fall during a leadership transition and as I stepped into my current role as CEO. It was an important inflection point for the organization, but I also recognized it as an opportunity to intentionally shape the kind of culture I wanted us to build together.

We defined our values as:

• We’re curious
• We’re a team
• We’re excellent
• We’re fun
• We’re accountable

Values underpin an organization’s culture. Culture defines how people work together, make decisions, and serve their mission. As a leader, I am sure I had an outsized influence in identifying these values, both in describing who we are today and who we aspire to become. And for those who know me or have worked closely with me, I hope these values feel recognizable.

But values only come alive when leaders consistently embody them.

If I am not curious about my colleagues, clients, and the world around me, why would our team be? If I do not approach client work with energy, rigor, and a commitment to excellence, why would those standards persist when I am not in the room? If I fail to collaborate generously, support my colleagues, and prioritize collective success over individual recognition, why would our team truly feel like a team? If I avoid accountability or fail to hold others accountable, why would accountability become part of our culture? And if leadership is not enjoying the work, why would anyone else?

Leaders make choices every day that shape their organizations in ways both large and small. The question is not whether your personality influences your culture. It already does. The question is whether you are shaping that culture intentionally.

Your people are watching, learning from, and emulating your behavior all the time.