Is Talking About Culture Killing Culture?

Deepa Nagraj is the SVP – Global Head of Communications & Sparkle Innovation Ecosystem, at Mphasis.

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“Culture is not an initiative. Culture is the enabler of all initiatives” — Larry Senn

Underlying several great organizations is that hard-to-define quality—culture. Whether it is a set of values or principles that a company starts its journey with, or adopts along the way, culture is the one attribute that differentiates some of the most memorable, popular and beloved brands from their lesser-known contemporaries.

It’s no wonder then that so much is written, spoken and debated about it. Especially now, in a world where workforces can log in from anywhere across the globe and collaborate both on-premises and virtually, being able to convey, establish and reaffirm what it means to work for a company has gained greater urgency.

Yet just as talking about better behavior in certain demographic groups has limited impact, so does talking about culture in large, diverse, geographically dispersed workforces.

So, what can be done (or not done) to instill, expand and embed it in organizations? What is it that some companies have that inspires communities to be built around them to establish connections, shared values, a shared purpose and a sense of belonging?

Let us take a look.

Riding On Purpose

Although possible to trace back to nearly any meaningful grouping of individuals—and this includes business organizations—being anchored in purpose elevates how a company’s employees view themselves and the work they do. As author Simon Sinek pointed out in his book Start with Why, some of the most charismatic and popular leaders of our time—whether politicians like Martin Luther King or innovators and technologists like Steve Jobs—were aware that people would not be drawn to invest in a “product, service, movement or idea” unless they can follow “the why” that underlines it.

Companies across industries such as outdoor clothing designer Patagonia, American shoe company Toms and British cosmetics brand The Body Shop are all examples of brands that understand this connection. Each of them places responsible business practices and sustainable outcomes at the heart of what they do and attracts a “cult” customer following.

Patagonia, for example, emerged as the brand with the best reputation in 2023, ahead of well-respected companies like Apple, Costco and Amazon. Toms continues to be revered by its female customers who started wearing the brand’s iconic Alpargata shoe when they were in their 20s and continue to feel “seen and heard” by the company, which has strived to tweak these shoes to stay relevant for their loyal customers who are now in their 40s. And The Body Shop, despite being far more expensive than many of its peers, continues to have its loyal clientele who feel a sense of commitment to supporting the brand’s ethical and cruelty-free products.

Fostering Team Psychological Safety

Another key attribute that can help companies create and embed a strong sense of culture in their organizations is providing their employees with a sense of what a Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson calls “team psychological safety.” Here the inclusion of the word “team” is vital because it is when groups of employees who typically work together feel they can venture into new territories and try out new ideas or product builds without fear of failure that the seeds of a fearless creative energy and productivity are sown.

This then paves the way for a workplace where entire teams feel comfortable taking risks, sharing ideas and admitting mistakes without fear of retribution—which, in turn, fosters innovation, collaboration and a sense of belonging. Pixar Animation Studios and Netflix are both well-recognized examples of companies that have invested in letting their employees feel this sense of safety that engenders creativity, safe risk-taking and innovation.

Leading By Example

Finally, a third way in which organizations can help nurture and grow a robust sense of culture at the workplace is by ensuring they have the kinds of leaders at the helm who embody and personify the company’s values and purpose in their behavior. This then helps to set the tone for the entire enterprise and inspires employees to also follow suit.

Consider Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors. When Barra became CEO of GM two decades ago, she focused on transparency and accountability to help rebuild trust with the company’s customers and employees. She also laid the groundwork for a strong foundation of diversity and inclusion where every employee’s voice counts, which has helped the company’s workforce feel truly empowered and included.

Although talking about it does not help advance culture, implementing some of these ideas and practices can help companies pave the way for its inception and advancement. Each brand must spend some time reflecting on which of these ideas are best suited to their workforce and speak less and do more to have culture strike deep roots in their ecosystem.

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