# The gap between words and deeds: why managers fail to live the corporate culture

A survey of 173 Human Resources leaders at 65 companies shows that more than half of managers fail to reinforce organisational values day to day, leaving conduct and principles out of the rituals of feedback, promotion and recognition.

- Section: Culture & Management
- Published: November 5, 2026
- Address: https://ceoone.com.br/en/article/the-gap-between-words-and-deeds-why-managers-fail-to-live-the-corporate-culture
- Em português: https://ceoone.com.br/artigo/o-abismo-entre-o-discurso-e-a-pratica-por-que-os-gestores-falham-em-vi.md

![Black and white photo of executives on the pavement in front of an office building, one of them blurred in motion](https://pub-b80e49b2737940b3ab5d3f20d0578192.r2.dev/artigos/o-abismo-entre-o-discurso-e-a-pratica-por-que-os-gestores-falham-em-vi-foto.webp)

Photo: Anthony Tyrrell/Unsplash

## Key points

- A survey of 173 HR leaders at 65 companies shows that 57% of managers fail to reinforce the company culture day to day.
- Most do not use the values as a criterion in feedback, performance reviews, promotions and raises, and rarely recognise in public those who practise them.
- The gap between words and deeds hurts the climate, raises turnover and calls for HR to support and train middle management.

A recent survey of the corporate ecosystem exposes one of the most critical bottlenecks in people management at Brazilian companies: the inability of managers to turn organisational culture into practical action in everyday work. The study found that 57% of managers fail to reinforce the culture day to day. The mapping shows that, although most companies invest in handbooks and formal statements of principles, the real application of these concepts often stalls at middle management.

The main weakness identified by the survey lies in leaving culture out of the most strategic rituals of the employee journey. Most leaders fail to use the company's pillars as a core criterion in feedback sessions, performance reviews and decisions on promotions or merit raises. This mismatch weakens the credibility of corporate guidelines in the eyes of teams.

The lack of public recognition for behaviour that exemplifies the corporate culture is another factor that undermines team motivation. When good practices are not celebrated by management, an environment emerges in which short-term quantitative targets outweigh conduct and ethics. Culture comes to be seen as a bureaucratic requirement rather than the compass that guides individual and collective success.

## The impact on the internal climate and the new role of leadership

This disconnect between the institutional discourse and the behaviour of managers creates immediate noise in the work climate and damages team trust. When employees see that attitudes out of line with the company's values are ignored, or even rewarded in the name of hitting financial targets, the culture becomes merely symbolic. The lack of coherence erodes the sense of belonging and weakens the team's commitment to the organisation's long-term purpose.

Experts in people analytics and corporate governance warn that this mismatch is one of the main drivers of talent loss and rising turnover. The most qualified professionals on the market demand coherence between what the company preaches in its communication channels and what its leaders practise day to day. Inconsistent management acts as a strong disincentive for talent to stay.

To reverse this picture, the role of People Management departments needs to evolve from the normative sphere to the continuous support of leadership. Training middle management to apply corporate values as an objective management tool, integrating them into individual alignment processes, development plans and behavioural goals, is an essential step to ensure the longevity of the business.

The survey data reinforce that an organisation's culture is not defined by what is written on its walls or in its institutional handbooks. The true corporate DNA is shaped every day by the behaviours that leaders choose to tolerate, promote and reward in the work routine.

## Sources and editorial notes

- Reference reports and publications: Survey of HR executives, HSM Management magazine and Harvard Business Review Brasil.
- Sources interviewed and institutions cited: HR leaders and directors from 65 companies, the Brazilian Human Resources Association (ABRH) and Great Place to Work (GPTW).

CEO ONE · https://ceoone.com.br