Theory

What is culture? How do you build culture? I’ve had the opportunity to discuss these topics regularly with colleagues as we wrangle with the coming emergence of a post-COVID work world. Things have changed, what is it now? My current working theory:

Culture is not a place; it is a shared understanding of community, values, and purpose. Culture comes out of interactions and experiences that create a shared history. To create culture foster opportunities for those interactions and experiences, person-to-person, whether virtual or in person.

When employees describe what they like about work, they talk about peer mentorship, deep learning opportunities, community, casual interactions, shared jokes, and the drama of work, the triumphs and tragedies. What binds all of these experiences? We did it together.