July 1, 2026
Want Better Leaders? Start with Culture
Why leadership development works best when values, expectations, and behaviors are aligned
Featuring Kerry Group, Jackson, Wisconsin
Many manufacturers invest in leadership training because supervisors need stronger communication, accountability, or people-management skills. But according to Carol Crawford, Talent & Culture Services Leader at WMEP, leadership development is most effective when it’s connected to something bigger: culture. “Leadership training shouldn’t exist in a vacuum,” Carol explains. “It should reinforce the behaviors, values, and expectations the organization is trying to build.”
That’s exactly the approach Kerry Group took as part of its broader employee engagement and culture strategy. Rather than simply rolling out generic supervisor training, the company used employee feedback and engagement data to shape leadership development around the organization’s long-term goals and values.
The Best Leadership Development Starts by Listening
Many organizations start leadership training by choosing a curriculum first. Carol says the stronger approach is to start by understanding employee experience, organizational needs, and business priorities. At Kerry, leaders used their “Our Voice” engagement survey along with employee focus groups to identify culture priorities and development opportunities. “That process helped them understand where the organization needed alignment,” Carol explains. “The goal wasn’t just training for the sake of training. It was developing leadership behaviors that supported the culture and business strategy.”
The process included:
- Employee feedback and listening sessions
- Leadership steering teams
- Alignment with the Kerry Leadership Competency Model
- Persona development
- Prioritization exercises
- Program design aligned to organizational goals
The result was a customized leadership development approach designed specifically for the organization’s workforce and culture.
Leadership Behaviors Shape Workplace Culture
One of the most important lessons from the project was that leadership behavior has a direct impact on workplace culture.
Supervisors and managers influence:
- Communication quality
- Employee trust
- Accountability
- Engagement
- Team collaboration
- Willingness to speak up
- Openness to improvement
“Employees watch leadership behavior every day,” Carol says. “That’s what shapes culture far more than posters or mission statements.” When leadership behaviors align with company values, employees experience greater consistency and trust. When they don’t, culture weakens quickly. That’s why Kerry focused leadership development not only on skills, but also on reinforcing organizational values and expectations, informed by the Kerry Leadership Competency Model.
Training Should Connect to Business Outcomes
One common mistake manufacturers make is treating leadership training as separate from operational goals. Carol says leadership development becomes much more effective when tied directly to business performance.
At Kerry, leadership competencies were connected to:
- Organizational goals
- Workforce engagement
- Communication expectations
- Operational performance
- Company values and behaviors
“Leadership training should support the results the organization is trying to achieve,” Carol explains. “It’s not just about checking a training box.” That alignment helps leadership development move beyond theory and into daily operational behavior.
Culture and Leadership Development Reinforce Each Other
Culture and leadership development work best when they support one another. Strong culture helps leaders succeed because expectations and behaviors are clear. Strong leadership reinforces culture because employees see those values modeled consistently. “It becomes a cycle,” Carol says. “Leadership shapes culture, and culture strengthens leadership.”
That’s particularly important in manufacturing environments where supervisors often move into leadership roles because of technical expertise—not necessarily because they’ve had formal leadership development. Providing structure, expectations, and leadership tools helps organizations create more consistency across teams and departments.
Bottom Line: Leadership Development Is a Culture Strategy
Manufacturers facing workforce pressure, engagement challenges, or operational inconsistency often focus first on systems and processes. Carol believes leadership development deserves equal attention. “Leadership capability directly affects performance, engagement, retention, and communication,” she explains.
The organizations seeing the strongest results are:
- Listening to employees
- Defining desired leadership behaviors
- Aligning leadership with organizational values
- Establishing clear leadership competencies to guide development and performance expectations
- Connecting development to business goals
- Reinforcing expectations consistently
“When leadership development and culture work together,” Carol says, “you create stronger alignment across the organization.” And that alignment drives results far beyond the classroom.