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G is for Growth without Culture Cracking
- Apr 8
- 3 min read
Welcome! This article is part of an A–Z series where I’m sharing reflections on the patterns I keep seeing in teams, leadership and workplace culture.
Not theory. Not tips. Just observations from real working life.
In my years working as an Insights Discovery practitioner with leaders, teams, and individuals, I see this all the time…
Things are going really well. The business is growing (which is amazing!), more people are joining, everything’s moving faster… and then suddenly, things start to feel a bit… wobbly.
Not in a dramatic way. Just little things. Communication gets patchy. People stick to their own teams. Stress levels creep up. Behaviours pop up that weren’t really there before. Honestly? It’s so normal.
In fact, research shows that 70% of employees report feeling more stressed when their organisation scales quickly, and 60% say they feel less connected to their team during periods of growth.
This is exactly what I mean by “growth without culture cracking.” Growth can either strengthen your culture or quietly start to pull it apart.
What I tend to see:
When growth kicks in, culture often gets stretched. No one’s doing anything wrong, they’re just busy, but without realising it:
Silos start to form
Misunderstandings happen more easily
People feel a bit disconnected
Pressure shows up in how people behave
It’s usually subtle at first. But left unchecked, those little cracks can grow into bigger problems.
Fun fact: companies with strong cultures are 1.5 times more likely to report higher employee engagement and lower turnover, so keeping culture intact isn’t just “nice,” it’s smart.
What I notice strong leaders doing instead:
When growth is happening, and things stay connected rather than fragmented, I tend to notice a few consistent patterns:
Communication doesn’t disappear under pressure. Even when things are busy, there’s still a steady rhythm of sharing what’s going on, what matters, and what’s changing.
There’s a visible effort to stay joined up. People don’t just stay in their own lanes; there are regular moments where teams connect, share, and understand each other’s worlds.
Early signs of stress don’t get ignored. Small shifts in behaviour, tension, or disengagement are noticed and acknowledged, rather than brushed aside.
Collaboration gets recognised. Not just outcomes, but how people work together is seen and valued.
There’s a curiosity about how people work best. Time is made to understand different styles, preferences, and ways of communicating, especially as new people join.
None of this feels forced or over-engineered. It’s usually quite simple, but it’s consistent.
And that consistency seems to be what stops those small cracks from turning into something bigger.
Growth shouldn’t feel like you’re about to crack. It should feel like you’re stretching a bit, learning as you go, figuring things out, but still feeling like yourself.
Not forced. Not overwhelmed. Not constantly fire-fighting. Just… better. Stronger. More connected.
You don’t have to accept silos, stress, and behavioural shifts as “just part of growth.” It is possible to grow and keep your culture intact. When that happens, growth tends to feel a whole lot easier, and a lot more enjoyable.
If this resonated, it’s probably because you’re seeing it too.
Philippa x
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