Delhi CHAPTER
The Culture Delusion
March 21, 2025
The Delhi roundtable re-examined the role of culture in the modern workplace, challenging the conventional view of culture as a unifying force. Instead, the group confronted uncomfortable truths—how culture is often used to control behavior, enforce conformity, and suppress innovation. The conversation exposed how many organizations mistake performance theatre for real engagement, urging leaders to rethink what culture really means and whether it's working at all.
Does Organisational Culture Matter, or Is It Just Corporate Decor?
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Culture decks are often performative; toxic cultures can still yield high performance—so is it real or just decorative?
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Key question: When do the cracks show? When employees disengage quietly.
Are Organisations Creating Cultures, or Just Controlling Behaviour?
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Culture shouldn’t be a dress code for behavior.
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Most workplaces enforce conformity rather than nurturing genuine culture.
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“What’s tolerated” often overshadows “what’s preached.”
Are Organisations Hiring Innovators While Expecting Them to Conform?
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Companies want disruption, but only within “approved” boundaries.
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Innovation is often a checkbox, not a mindset.
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“Non-conformity” is welcomed only if it doesn’t rock the boat.
What Happens When Employees Stop Pretending to Care?
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Disengagement begins long before resignations—with silence, fake smiles, and absence from real dialogue.
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The roundtable discussed the gap between performance and participation, and the danger of “performance theatre” over authentic engagement.
Attendees
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Aseem Nath Tripathi, Multiplier
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Dhiraj Gyani, IndiaTech
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Kamlesh Vyas, Deloitte
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Naresh Sharma, IHRPL Group of Companies
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Nitin Sethi, Adani One
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Ramesh Menon, HT Media
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Radha Arora, Accenture
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Reenu Bohra, NBC Bearings
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Rupesh Tripathi, KPMG
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Sandeep Naogi, Genpact
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Seema Lakkhata, Tradubuilder
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Shar Jain, Shalimar Paints
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Siraj Chaudhary, Country Chairman, Air India SATS
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Subhrangshu Neogi, Trustmore Group