Ep 56: The importance of being a culture catalyst

In this bonus episode, Tom Emery and Tom Mason turn their attention to the 'Culture Catalyst', a vital element of the Beyond Potential leadership model. This is picking up from episode 46, where they talked about the role of the 'Insightful Navigator'.

Culture often feels like an intangible concept, but as the Toms explore, it’s the invisible hand that shapes behaviours, performance, and how teams experience work.

They break down what it really means to be a culture catalyst: from building trust and psychological safety, to driving inclusion, setting accountability, and role-modelling the behaviours you want to see.

Drawing on leadership models such as Patrick Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Tuckman’s team development model, and Amy Edmondson’s work on psychological safety, they show how leaders at every level can actively shape microcultures within their teams, and why these feed into the wider organisational culture.

The message is clear: culture isn’t something handed down from the CEO or written on the office wall. It’s something leaders create, protect, and sustain every day through intentional action and agency.

Short, sharp, and packed with practical insights, this 10-minute episode is designed to help you reflect on your own team culture and how you can become the catalyst for a more inclusive, high-performing environment.

Connect with Tom Emery and Tom Mason on LinkedIn.

Find out more about: Beyond Potential, HEX and Potentia.