Shaping the Future through Cultural Transformation
Your Culture Guide
Meet Michael Henderson
For 29 years, Michael has enhanced over 300+ businesses through culture transformation. His background in Anthropology is his biggest asset in strengthening the culture within your organisation. Michael uses this specialist knowledge in helping clients to understand what culture really is, the right strategies in fostering a dynamic environment within their workplace and the methods to maintain it. Michael believes deeply that your business deserves to have its company culture aligned as a strategic asset.
The Founding of
Cultures at Work
As a child, I first encountered another culture at the Shrewsbury markets, where Welsh farmers’ belief in dragons sparked my interest in cultural exploration. In the 70s, my family moved to South Africa and then New Zealand, exposing me to unique cultures and deepening my appreciation for diversity. Some teasing about my English accent showed me not everyone shared my enthusiasm for cultures, but I graduated. My enthusiasm for culture eventually led me to graduate from Auckland University with a degree in Anthropology and History.
Major
Achievements
I embark on a five-year backpacking adventure across Europe, South America, and Africa, studying and visiting cultures. To fund my travels, I work as a commission-only sales rep in London, gaining insight into various company cultures.
Cultural Transformation
Alongside my wife Shar and dear friend Dougal, I co-founded Cultures at Work to align teams with their values. In 2004, I won the Ashton Wiley Book Award for Finding True North and coined “Culturing” to describe evolving high-performance cultures to align teams with their values. We clarified our values as Wisdom, Presence and Minessence, tested them and embodied them in everything we are and through everything we do.
In 2001, after witnessing several large organisations fail due to toxic cultures, I coined the phrase Culturing to help my clients stop thinking of culture as a noun, something done once and ignored, to a verb inviting us all to remember culture is moving and reforming fresh every day.
Milestones of Growth and Legacy
I’m invited to open TEDx Auckland and win the Thought Leaders Mentor of the Year Award. After Dougal’s passing in 2015, Shar and I deepen our work in his memory through workshops, keynotes, and books. That year, Renee joins Cultures at Work as a coach, bringing ten years of insights into applying my methods in organisations.
From Barks to Breakthroughs
We launch the Cultures at Work online learning platform. In 2019, Bella and Winston, two Wheaten Terriers, join CAW, adding the occasional bark to my webinars. By 2020, my hero, Professor Edgar Schein from M.I.T., endorses my work, recognising The Arrow framework as key to aligning culture with strategy.
Introducing B.A.N.I to People and Culture Leaders
I came across B.A.N.I in 2018, and by 2020, I had started to share the concept with clients who were immediately related to it. Specifically, I pointed out that B.A.N.I is a cultures’ response to V.U.C.A. and how realising this enables businesses to become more proactive in their contextual navigation.
Level Up with
Cultures at Work
Drive Growth
Use your culture as a driving force for your business growth.
Attract and Retain Talent
Develop a workplace that attracts and motivates high performers to your organisation.
Higher Staff Engagement
Create a work environment where employees are fully engaged and fulfilled.
Strengthen Brand Integrity
Ensure your internal culture is aligned with your external brand.
Create your Ideal Culture
in Three Easy Steps
Call
Book a call and have a 20 minute conversation with Michael
Check
Identify the strengths, weaknesses and underlying needs of your organisations culture
Create
Work with Michael to craft the culture that aligns with your business strategy brand and purpose with Cultures at Work