Culture by Design: 8 simple steps to drive better individual and organizational performance

The book’s strength lies in its simplicity and practicality. Friedman’s step-by-step methodology is clear, and he presents his ideas in a concise and engaging manner. The book is accessible and easy to understand, which enhances its appeal to a broad range of readers. 

Moreover, the use of real-life examples and the provision of concrete tools and strategies make the book more actionable. It gives leaders a decently clear roadmap to follow when embarking on the journey of cultural transformation. 

Finally, the emphasis on the importance of an intentional culture and the role it plays in driving organizational performance is particularly relevant in today’s business environment. The book effectively communicates the significance of a strong culture and its impact on various facets of an organization, from employee engagement to customer satisfaction and bottom-line results. 

While the book provides a comprehensive guide to building a high-performance culture, it may be seen as too prescriptive by some readers. The steps presented might not be applicable to every organization, given their unique context and circumstances. 

Indeed, Friedman’s vision of the corporate culture and leadership leans heavily towards a top-down, almost autocratic type, where the “visionary” leader is the only one defining almost everything. Friedman devotes little role even to senior leadership, not to mention middle management or “common” employees – which goes against the modern corporate wisdom in such giants as Google, Apple, or Netflix. 

Moreover, the book’s focus on accountability and behavior might overlook other aspects of organizational culture, such as shared beliefs, values, and the influence of external factors. 

Lastly, the book could benefit from further exploration of the challenges and potential resistance that leaders might encounter when implementing these steps, and strategies to overcome them.

Culture has become the hottest word in today’s organizational lexicon. From boardrooms to locker rooms, everyone’s talking about the critical link between culture and extraordinary team performance.  

Yet, as clear as that link may be, understanding what culture is, and what to do about it, has always been so murky. Until now.  

In this game-changing book, David Friedman cuts through the fog and provides a simple, clear, and practical roadmap for building a high-performing culture – in any organization. Filled with stories and examples from his own leadership career, as well as his work with hundreds of other CEOs, Friedman brings a level of credibility and practical wisdom that stands in stark contrast to the typical academic treatment of culture. Delivered with his legendary logic and easy-to-read style, he makes understanding culture so simple that you’ll wonder why you didn’t think of it all yourself.  

Quite possibly, it’s the most useful book ever written on organizational culture.

“Culture by Design” is primarily directed towards leaders, managers, and anyone tasked with driving cultural change within an organization. It’s also a valuable resource for HR professionals and consultants focused on organizational development. 

If you are looking for more excellent books on corporate culture, “The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups” (2018) by Daniel Coyle provides insights into the dynamics of successful teams and how they create a culture of innovation and creativity. Check out our review! 

If you want to learn about different, less top-down types of corporate culture where the employee voice is of greater importance, check out or reviews on “Work Rules!“ by Laszlo Bock where he discusses the corporate culture at Google, or “No Rules Rules” by Reed Hastings about Netflix. Alternatively, you can learn how to diffuse knowledge and good practices in your company by creating a “learning organization” in classic “The Fifth Discipline” (Senteo review)