Stop Waiting for Perfect

When it comes to culture change, far too many organizations get stuck waiting for the perfect moment, the perfect strategy, the perfect plan. They analyze, discuss, and workshop their way into what feels like progress—but without actually changing anything on the ground.

I get it. It’s natural to want things buttoned up before launching something as important as a culture initiative. But here’s the reality—culture gets shaped by what we do, not what we plan. And the longer we wait for “perfect,” the more opportunity slips through our fingers.

Culture Change Isn’t a Theory—It’s a Practice

I’ve seen too many teams get caught up in the myth that culture change is only possible if they design every detail in advance. But organizations don’t have the luxury of waiting. The competition isn’t on pause while you write your culture manifesto.

Don’t get me wrong: it’s important to think about your culture (and there’s nothing wrong with culture manifestos—I love them), but in the end you must build your culture through action. That’s why I like the playbook approach Maddie wrote about in Culture Change Made Easy: instead of waiting for certainty, run some culture plays, see what works, learn, and iterate.

How to Get Unstuck: Tips for Taking Action in Culture Change

Here are some proven ways to escape the analysis-paralysis trap and build momentum on your culture journey:

1. Start Small—But Start Now. If the company-wide rollout is going to take a few months, then go ahead and launch a single “culture play” in one team or department to get started early. For example, experiment with a new weekly huddle to strengthen collaboration, or pilot a cheap or free online conflict resolution training with your team. Quick wins increase visibility and confidence.

2. Embrace Imperfect Experiments. Every play won’t be a home run—so prepare yourself for a few strikeouts. Treat each action as an experiment: try, learn, adjust. Don’t beat yourself up if it doesn’t work the way you planned. The faster you run plays, the faster you find what actually moves your culture forward.

3. Make Action Visible and Inclusive. Culture work isn’t just for HR or the C-suite. Activate your change champions at all levels. Form internal culture teams with people who are genuinely enthusiastic about the work (not just those who “represent” every department). Invite others to suggest and join in on culture plays.

4. Measure, Adjust, Repeat. Don’t skip measurement. Track the impact of your culture plays—not just engagement scores, but real behavioral shifts. Use what you learn to double down on what’s working (and sunset what’s not).

5. Don’t Let “Perfect” Be the Enemy of Progress. Planning is necessary, but it’s not where culture is created. Your core values and big vision matter most when paired with consistent, visible action. The time to start is now.

The Bottom Line

Culture change is messy. It requires learning in real time and a real bias toward action. No one waits out the first half of the game to pick the ideal play—you run what you’ve got, learn, and keep moving.

If you’re finding yourself or your team stuck in overthinking, ask: What’s one small play we can launch this week? Run it. Talk about what you learned. Repeat. Because the best culture change happens when you stop talking about what you’re going to do and start doing it.

If you need help with this, learn more about what we do at PropelNow.co.