Culture…

I’m spending the weekend with family at a quaint old farmhouse in the mountains. I’m first up. I stood quietly waiting for the tea kettle to boil, I smelled the gas furnace kick on for the first time of the season, I heard the old wood floor creak beneath my feet and heard the kettle begin to pop and crack. All these things felt warm and familiar even though I hadn’t experienced them for many years. They made me feel completely comfortable in this simple farmhouse that I had never been in before.

I think that’s a little like culture in an organization. When culture is done right, it lasts, while an organization absent of culture gets stale quickly. It’s the little things that make you yearn to be part of a team that feels familiar, welcoming. Make time to address the small things. Celebrate the victories, no matter how small. Discuss the failures openly, and without emotion. Part of culture is how you feel when you enter the building or the Zoom call. It’s how you expect to be treated in good times and in bad. It’s the spirit of trust - you know that you’re all in this together. ... Culture matters.

And this is likely a very good time to reconsider yours.