We all know as system leaders there is one single thing more vitally important than anything else in our jobs. We know instinctively that the culture of an organisation, or of a whole system integrated team, is much more significant than its formal written down and endorsed strategy or policies. The culture of a place defines how people feel about coming to work, how engaged they feel, how much of their energy they give, how productive they are, whether they feel able to innovate on the frontline, whether they stay in a job and whether people feel they have received great care in a hospital or excellent council services. If we feel valued we feel better, we perform better, we have better ideas, and we deliver better services.

So how do leaders characterise and measure the real-life culture of their own organisation? There are numerous tools – the Local Government Association corporate peer challenges, culture reviews, Care Quality Commission and Ofsted inspections, well-led reviews in the NHS, staff engagement surveys, bringing in external consultants etc.