How toxic behaviours quietly corrode performance — and what leaders can do to change it.
At D Jungle People, we help organisations do more than perform — we help them transform.
Through our Culture Transformation and Leadership Alignment programmes, we guide organisations to uncover what truly drives their behaviours, reset what no longer serves them, and build a culture that people want to be part of.
Because culture isn’t something you declare — it’s something you demonstrate.
And sometimes, transformation starts by facing a hard truth:
one rotten apple can spoil the whole barrel.
What Shapes Organisational Culture
Organisational culture is the shared values, beliefs, and norms that define the behaviours of employees in an organisation.
These behaviours don’t just happen — they’re cultivated through each employee’s daily actions and decisions.
However, by nature, new cultures tend to be resisted by older habits.
People naturally default to what feels familiar, even when the organisation is ready to move forward.
That’s where D Jungle People’s Culture Buzzer makes a difference.
Based on the science of habit-building, Culture Buzzers help organisations adopt culturally aligned behaviours through systematic reminders, nudges, and actions.
It bridges the gap between what we say we value and what we actually do — helping teams internalise change one action at a time.
Because lasting transformation doesn’t come from a single workshop — it comes from consistent, conscious practice.
Culture Isn’t Built — It’s Behaved
In organisations, that “rotten apple” isn’t always a person. Often, it’s a behaviour:
a snide comment brushed off as humour,
a leader who takes credit for the team’s work,
a high performer excused for poor attitude because of “results.”
Left unchecked, these small acts start to define “how things are done here.”
Before long, good people disengage, great people leave, and the team’s moral compass quietly shifts.
At D Jungle People, we often remind leaders: culture is the shadow of behaviour.
It’s not what’s written on the wall — it’s what’s tolerated in the hallway.
When undesirable behaviour is ignored, it doesn’t disappear; it gets replicated.
When leaders overlook accountability in favour of comfort, the message is clear:
“This is acceptable here.”
True transformation begins when leaders recognise that every action, reaction, and decision contributes to the organisation’s culture — for better or worse.
The Ripple Effect of One Rotten Apple
Toxic behaviours spread through three main ripples:
- Erosion of Trust – People start to withhold ideas, avoid conflict, and protect themselves instead of collaborating.
- Normalisation of Negativity – “That’s just how it is” becomes the silent company motto.
- Loss of Talent and Energy – The best people quietly disengage or leave, while those who stay mirror what they see.
By the time it’s visible in performance metrics or turnover reports, the rot has already set in deep.
Culture Change Starts with Courage
Transforming culture isn’t about slogans or new values on posters. It’s about courageous leadership — the willingness to confront uncomfortable truths and reset the tone.
Here’s where transformation begins:
- Call out the rot early. Don’t wait for it to spread.
- Model the behaviours you want multiplied. Consistency builds credibility.
- Listen deeply to your people. Culture isn’t what leaders declare — it’s what employees experience.
- Reinforce the right behaviours. Recognition is the sunlight that helps positive culture grow.
Culture change takes intention. It takes persistence. And it takes leaders who are humble enough to ask, “What am I allowing, consciously or not?”
From Rotten to Rooted
At D Jungle People, we’ve seen this truth play out across industries: when organisations commit to reshaping behaviour, everything changes.
Engagement rises. Trust deepens. Teams move in rhythm.
Because when one person can spoil the barrel, one brave leader can heal it.
And that’s how real culture transformation begins — not through grand statements, but through everyday choices to do what’s right, not what’s easy.
Let’s start the conversation.
Talk to us about how our Culture Transformation, Leadership Alignment, and Culture Buzzer programmes can help your organisation build the right habits, sustain the right behaviours, and create a culture that thrives.
📩 [email protected] | 🌿 D Jungle People — Architects of Learning
