I have heard two opinions about culture and strategy: Someone said, "Culture is a strategy," and someone said, "Culture eats strategy for breakfast."
Between the two, the latter is more helpful for two reasons:
1. It informed us that culture includes the invisible. Although status exists in everything we do, playing the status game isn't a choice that everyone makes.
2. Culture often exists without people realizing it. When we aren't aware of culture, it is usually because it's not intentional but habitual.
Strategy, on the other hand, is a conscious play and choice. It's a framework to connect all the dots. It's an intention to go from A to B. It's a preference over other options.
When we say one thing but do the other, it is often because saying is our strategy while doing reflects our culture.
