Holding complexity in People and Culture
People and Culture by David Liddle tackles an uncomfortable truth: many organisational challenges labelled as “people issues” are actually systemic ones.
Reading it, I was struck by how often conflict, disengagement or underperformance are treated as individual failings, rather than signals of misaligned structures, incentives or expectations. Liddle’s work consistently pulls the reader back toward the wider system.
The book draws on employment relations, organisational psychology and practical casework to explore how culture, fairness and performance intersect. What stands out is the emphasis on dialogue and shared responsibility. Culture, here, is not something imposed by leaders, but negotiated through everyday interactions.
As I moved through the chapters, I found myself reflecting on how organisations often reach for policies when what they really need is conversation. Liddle does not shy away from the messiness of this, but treats it as inevitable rather than problematic.
This is a thoughtful and grounded book, particularly useful for leaders navigating tension, change or competing interests. It reminds us that culture work is rarely neat, but it is always consequential.
