Let's Talk Culture: The conversations you need to create the team you want
by Shane Michael Hatton

Packed with research-based insights from Australia’s leading workplaces, Let’s Talk Culture is the how-to guide for people leaders who want to shape a world-class team culture by design.

Successful leaders and organisations know that culture is the unseen advantage of world-class teams. But can it be influenced? And what role do managers play in building and shaping it?

Author and expert in leader communication, Shane Michael Hatton, says the research suggests it can be influenced and that the people leader plays a crucial role – but it all starts with effective communication.

Based on extensive research with people leaders on the ground, Let’s Talk Culture reveals the five practical conversations people leaders need to have to design a world-class team culture within their organisation.

An easy-to-understand guide for future culture champions, this book will give you the tools to build a team that attracts and retains your top talent, confidently address cultural inconsistencies in the workplace and meaningfully reward the behaviours that strengthen your team culture.

PRAISE FOR LET'S TALK CULTURE

‘Organisational culture’s built through words and actions. This book shows you the conversations you need to spark the behaviour you want to create the culture you desire.’
Michael Bungay Stanier, bestselling author of The Coaching Habit and How to Begin

‘This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to create a culture worth belonging to.’
Gabrielle Dolan, International keynote speaker and bestselling author of six books, including Magnetic Stories and Stories for Work

‘I would highly recommend this book to any leader embarking on a large-scale program of culture change.’
Sameer B. Srivastava, Associate Professor and Ewald T. Grether Chair in Business Administration and Public Policy at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, University of California; Co-director Berkeley Culture Initiative 

‘Shane has done a great job in demystifying and making the case for the role of a people leader in defining, building, changing, and strengthening culture. This book is full of practical questions and actions all leaders should be asking themselves and their teams.’
Steph Clarke, facilitator; host of Steph’s Business Bookshelf podcast 

‘I wish I’d had this book when I started my managerial journey 20 years ago. If you’re charged with managing others, this book is the companion you’ve been looking for.’
Mike Ganino, Public speaking and storytelling coach; creator of The Mike Drop Moment

‘Great stuff from Shane, who not only decodes culture, but also provides the data that senior managers require to fund its investment of time and money and the practical insights necessary to do it well, every time.’
Colin D. Ellis, international speaker, culture change facilitator and author of Culture Hacks

‘What I love about Shane’s book is he really gets to the heart of what drives culture and, through learning from some of the best places to work in Australia, shares with us some of the key actions leaders can take to influence and shape the culture they aspire to.’
Nikki Beaumont, Founder and CEO of Beaumont People

‘Shane skilfully weaves hundreds of impressions together and casually yet pragmatically offers the blueprint to growing a culture that lives, is inclusive, and wins.’
James Comer, Head of People and Communities, Australia and New Zealand, Cisco

‘Loved, loved, loved this book. Insightful, instructive, and inspiring, Shane has once again delivered a game-changing book, perfect for anyone, at any level, in any organisation, who wants to play their part in unlocking a culture that enables others to be their brilliant selves.’
Janine Garner, international speaker, three-time bestselling author, CEO of
Curious Minds AUS Pty Ltd, and host of the Unleashing Brilliance podcast

‘Shane paints a wonderfully vivid narrative of culture as a language we can all learn to speak, even if our dialects are slightly different. As the leader of an integrated health system, this book will aid me in building a more inclusive team to better care for the increasingly diverse communities we serve.’
Tracy Michael, senior healthcare executive