Chris Williams, COO, Interaction Associates, a leading provider of training & consulting services to build collaborative leadership culture.
Culture matters. It’s often hard to define, but its effects are undeniable. It influences how decisions are made, how people treat one another and ultimately, how an organization performs.
In fact, 73% of people would prefer a positive workplace culture over higher pay. And with good reason: Strong culture can boost productivity, reduce turnover and increase the likelihood of exceeding business goals.
What Is Culture, Really?
Organizational culture is more than how things get done. It’s the shared values, beliefs, rituals, symbols and behaviors that define how an organization interacts with one another and its work. This includes visible elements, like meeting norms and dress codes, and invisible ones, like what gets rewarded or ignored, or what people believe. Leaders help set the tone, but culture is built and reinforced through the actions of everyone in the organization, day by day.
Why Culture Matters
Toxic culture can drain performance, producing distrust, low creativity and high turnover. In contrast, a great culture can be a strategic advantage. It sets the standard for how employees interact with each other, establishing what is and is not acceptable within the organization. In this way, culture can strengthen collaboration, drive engagement and boost productivity.
Additionally, a strong culture enables adaptability. Organizations with a cohesive and resilient culture respond more effectively to change—whether it’s the rise of AI or economic uncertainty—as employees are more connected, resourceful and empowered to take action.
Proactive Steps To Build A Great Culture
Culture isn’t accidental. It’s created through intentional and sustained action. Here are four practical ways leaders can start shaping a thriving culture today.
1. Define and uphold clear purpose and values.
Employees want to feel that their work matters. Great cultures connect individual roles to the larger mission and shared values. Ask yourself: What do you reward? What kinds of people thrive in our organization? How often do I communicate the organizational purpose?
Organizations like Patagonia do this well. Their commitment to environmental activism is woven deeply into how they operate and the stories they tell. On their website, they prominently feature stories through video that speak to their activism, reinforcing values in a visual and compelling way.
2. Establish clear expectations and ongoing feedback.
How formal is your organization? What are your meeting norms? How do people communicate? Strong cultures clarify what’s expected and support people in achieving those expectations. This includes providing resources, giving timely feedback and acknowledging great work.
Compassionate accountability matters. This holds people to high standards while also supporting their growth. When employees know what success looks like and feel supported to reach it, they watch a positive culture develop and thrive.
3. Lean into autonomy.
People do their best work when they feel empowered. That’s why great cultures empower employees to make decisions, improve processes and speak up.
As an example, Netflix operates on the belief that people need flexibility and should take vacations when needed to bring their best selves to work; therefore, they give employees the freedom to manage their schedules, trusting them to deliver results. The impact is an annual employee turnover rate that is lower than the tech industry average and a culture of excellence.
4. Ramp up mastery.
People are motivated when they feel they are growing and have the opportunity to excel at something. Cultures that emphasize continuous learning create the conditions for mastery. With mastery, individuals are encouraged to sharpen their skills, deepen their knowledge and take on new challenges within their role. One tool for creating conditions of mastery at scale is facilitation. Facilitation is more than running a meeting—it is a leadership skill that helps groups think, communicate and act more effectively together.
Great facilitators guide discussions to surface different perspectives, create clarity around goals, build alignment and help the group take action. This creates the conditions for open dialogue, engagement and collaboration.
Is It Too Late?
Company culture is important. Few would disagree. It’s also true that few leaders have the luxury of starting from scratch. Perhaps you worry that it’s too late to impact your company. It’s not.
Begin by acknowledging your responsibility for shaping the culture. Name the unproductive aspects. Reflect on the type of culture you wish to see. Next, seek to live out and model aspects of a great culture: living values daily, celebrating accomplishments, empowering and involving others and demonstrating a mindset of continuous improvement. Simply put, shaping the culture begins with you. So wherever your organization is today, commit to creating, designing and modeling a culture that brings out the best in people.
The great culture of tomorrow starts with the choices you make today.
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