🎯 Fixing Culture with Habits: What Startup Leaders Get Wrong About Execution (2/2)
Why daily habits beat one-off culture workshops—and how trust and KPIs like eNPS make startup leadership measurable.
Most startups have values. Very few have habits.
In Part 2 of our interview with leadership coach Christian Conrad, we dive into what actually makes startup culture stick. Spoiler: It’s not posters or retreats.
Startups don’t need another training—they need systems. Execution. Measurement. Behavioral shift. And that’s exactly what Christian delivers with his eNPS-driven leadership framework.
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🧠 Why Most Corporate Trainings Fail
Christian’s seen it all. Expensive L&D programs with no follow-up. Employees leave with a t-shirt and no new habits.
His solution? Long-term cultural transformation, not one-off interventions.
Key issues with traditional training:
No metric tracking (like eNPS)
No habit-building
No cascading impact beyond a few people
“You don’t change culture with a day of training. You change it with daily repetition.”
🤝 The 100% Trust Rule
“I give 100% trust from day one. If it’s abused, I deduct.”
That mindset, Christian says, unlocked more execution, ideas, and team loyalty than any bonus ever could.
He learned it from a Danish GM during his time at Kellogg’s. The result?
Bold execution
Faster decisions
Deep emotional commitment
And it’s replicable.
📏 The Culture Execution Formula (Yes, It’s Measurable)
Christian’s system uses the 4DX framework (Four Disciplines of Execution) and behavioral KPIs like eNPS to turn culture into a trackable asset.
His three execution levers:
Wildly Important Goal – e.g. +20 eNPS in 12 months
Lead Measures – Connective Listening, Positive Reinforcement, Feedforward
Visible Scoreboard – Public team tracking + weekly review
Bonus: He uses an AI-powered app to help leaders track daily behavior habits.
📊 Case Study: 6 → 40 eNPS in 18 Months
One client (a TecDAX-listed renewable energy firm) implemented Christian’s full program.
Here’s what happened:
eNPS went from 6 → 40
Employer brand strength improved
Recruiting costs dropped
The secret? Daily leadership habits practiced consistently across the organization.
🔄 Start Here: 3 Small Things You Can Do Tomorrow
Ask 10 employees: “Would you recommend this company?”
Pick 3 small pain points to solve this quarter.
Practice habits: Repeat what you hear, ask open questions, and request Feedforward weekly.
“Small shifts. Consistently. That’s the secret.”
🔗 Read More from Startuprad.io:
💬 What Do You Think?
What’s the smallest leadership behavior that made the biggest impact in your company?
🗨️ Drop your answers in the comments or reply to this email — we’d love to feature your take in a future post.
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📹 The Video Podcast
Will go live on May 13th, 2025. Available earlier for YouTube subscribers.
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About the Author:
Jörn “Joe” Menninger is the founder and host of Startuprad.io -- one of Europe’s top startup podcasts that scored as a global Top 20 Podcast in Entrepreneurship. He’s been featured in Forbes, Tech.eu, EU-Startups, Geektime, and more for his insights into startups, venture capital, and innovation. With over 15 years of experience in management consulting, digital strategy, and startup scouting, Joe works at the intersection of tech, entrepreneurship, and business transformation—helping founders, investors, and corporates turn bold ideas into real-world impact.
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