Define Behaviors as Your Culture’s DNA

At a fast-growing global tech firm, leaders noticed a gap between their aspirational values and day-to-day work. They had buzzwords taped on the walls—‘collaborate,’ ‘innovate,’ ‘customer-centric’—but no one could recite what those terms meant in practice. So a new CEO started a “behavior challenge.” Each executive led a workshop defining four simple behaviors: Help Each Other, Test Quickly, Speak Up, and Delight Customers. They then created real job scenarios, like rainbow tables for engineers to hack their own code or companywide “open mic” days.

Next, they overhauled the performance management system. Instead of quarterly goal checklists, every employee had to give two examples of how they’d tested an idea, asked a tough question, or peered over a customer’s shoulder. “Show me, don’t tell me” became the new mantra.

To solidify the shift, the CEO announced the launch of ‘Behavior Wednesdays.’ Each week, a short video flashed in every office highlighting a real employee story. A coder who reported a security flaw, a marketer who flew to a client site unannounced, a team lead who spent hours debugging another group’s demo. These weren’t perfect fairy tales, just honest accounts of aligned behaviors.

Within six months, code-review defects dropped 18%, client escalations fell by a third, and internal surveys showed trust scores rising 25%. By training on—and rewarding—everyday behaviors, the company rewrote its cultural DNA.

When you’re next drafting goals, pause and ask, ‘What behaviors truly matter?’ Spell out two real examples, weave them into reviews, and shine a light on those who live them daily. Make these the benchmarks for hiring, promoting, and celebrating, and watch your culture evolve from buzzwords to breakthroughs—give it a try tomorrow in your next team huddle.