Stop Defaulting to Culture and Start Designing It

In today’s fast-paced world, organizational culture isn’t something you have; it’s not ping-pong tables or swag bags. It’s not massage chairs, or catchy slogans, or half-day summer Fridays. Those things might be fun, but they aren’t foundational.

Culture is something you build in the day-to-day behaviors, relationships, and decisions of your team. Another way to say it: Culture is how you think, how you act, and how you interact.

Whether you realize it or not, as a leader, you are either intentionally designing your team’s culture or unconsciously defaulting to one that just happens. There’s no neutral ground.

So, how do you stop defaulting to the culture that just happens, and start designing one with intention?

Here are three actionable steps to evaluate (and elevate!) your team’s culture.

1. BE PURPOSEFUL.

Too many leaders assume culture just takes care of itself. It won’t! Start by asking yourself, “What kind of experience do I want people to have?” Define and document the behaviors and values you want to see. Share them with the team, and then live them out. If you’re unclear, the team will be, too. Designing culture is an ongoing practice, not a one-time event.

2. IMPLEMENT ACTION STEPS.

Design without execution is just a wish. Culture comes to life through how it’s deployed. Systems, communication, and consistent behavior all drive design. It’s what shows up in meetings, decision making, how people treat each other when no one is watching. This is the boots-on-the-ground work. Are you reinforcing what you say you value?

3. PROMOTE AND PROTECT.

You can’t be everywhere in the organization at all times, which means you need culture carriers. These leaders and team members actively promote and protect the culture you’re designing. Who models the values when you’re not in the room? Who mentors new hires in the way you prefer they think, act, and interact? Promotion is about visibility. Protection is about accountability.

At the end of the day, culture is the great differentiator. Products can be copied, and processes can be improved. But culture is the heartbeat of your team, and it doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built brick by brick, choice by choice. As the leader, you set the tone.

Whether you’re leading a small team or an entire organization, your influence is the blueprint. When you choose to design, deploy, promote, and protect a culture rooted in purpose and connection, you create a space where people thrive.

So intentionally design the culture you want – don’t just hope for the best.

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