Culture Isn’t Fluffy: How Everyday Decisions Shape Your Organization’s Destiny
When Norm Brodsky’s company moved from a ‘tough but fair’ environment—where mistakes drew shouts and urgency trumped empathy—to a people-first culture led by his wife, everything seemed to change. Suddenly, employees smiled more, went out of their way for customers, and found deeper meaning in routine tasks. This wasn’t by accident. By embracing rituals that rewarded the little things—like rescuing lost kittens or turning office games into bonding moments—new expectations blossomed. When negative outliers tried to poison the well, leadership showed the entire staff what truly mattered by firmly but kindly showing those individuals the door. Consistency, not slogans or perks, made the difference. Research into organizational psychology supports this: culture isn’t about posters on the wall, but about what people see rewarded or challenged day in and day out.
Gather your team or family and draft a list of real, actionable values you want to live out—aim for honesty, kindness, or a strong work ethic. Pick out moments this week where you can publicly notice and praise someone living those values. If someone undermines the vibe, don’t ignore it—have a private word and be clear. Reset as needed each year, and let culture become your strongest asset. Try for a week and watch trust, energy, and teamwork start to shift, sometimes in little but lasting ways.
What You'll Achieve
You’ll experience stronger trust, clarity, and positive energy at work or home. Externally, your team will function more smoothly and outsiders will notice the difference (and want to join or partner).
Deliberately Define and Reinforce Core Behaviors
Articulate 3–5 core values for your team.
Involve team members to brainstorm. Avoid empty buzzwords—choose concrete behaviors you want to see.
Spot opportunities to live the values daily.
Notice moments—even small ones—where you can model or encourage these values. Celebrate micro-examples publicly.
Address negative culture swiftly and privately.
If someone violates the culture, have a direct, constructive conversation as soon as possible. Don’t let corrosive behaviors spread.
Review and reset values regularly.
Set an annual check-in to see if your stated values still reflect the real best of your group.
Reflection Questions
- How does your group handle mistakes—blame or learning?
- What real behaviors do you want to see more?
- How do you deal with negative outliers?
- What’s one tradition you can introduce this month?
Personalization Tips
- A classroom chooses ‘listen well’ and ‘everyone helps’ as top rules, reminding each other before projects.
- A volunteer club makes ‘celebrate small wins’ part of every meeting, boosting morale authentically.
- A family defines ‘no phone at dinner’ as a shared value, sticking to it even when it’s tough.
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