The difference between building and tolerating culture lies in the commitment of leadership to actively shape and nurture it. It is about making deliberate choices, setting clear expectations, and holding everyone accountable to the same standards. Only through such concerted efforts can organizations create a culture that not only supports their strategic goals but also drives long-term success and employee satisfaction.

Understanding Culture: Values, Mindsets, and Behaviors

Jabian’s Definition of Culture

Rewarding and Rejecting Behaviors: The Role of Leadership

Positive behaviors that align with the organization’s values should be recognized and rewarded. Behaviors such as collaboration, respect, and integrity reinforce the desired culture. Rewards can come in multiple forms, including promotions, bonuses, public acknowledgment, and opportunities for professional development. For instance, a company might implement a “peer recognition” program where employees can acknowledge each other’s contributions, fostering a supportive and collaborative environment.

Rejecting “Bad” Behaviors

Conversely, behaviors that are detrimental to the culture must be addressed and discouraged. For example, if a salesperson withholds key information to secure a deal solely for personal gain, the organization can withhold their commission to emphasize that how we achieve results is as important as the results themselves. This underscores the message that ethical behavior and collaboration are non-negotiable. Leaders must act decisively when negative behaviors emerge, setting a precedent to establish that such conduct will not be tolerated.

What are some challenges you face in avoiding the tolerance of negative behaviors within your organization?

“While by no means unique, niceness remains a plague on cultures like ours that value caring. Caring and being nice are often mistaken as the same thing by new leaders who can struggle to have hard conversations. We frequently talk about principles of Crucial Conversations, Radical Candor, and The 100X Leader… employing ideas like love and family and fighting for the success of others requires addressing negative or unproductive behavior, even when it is hard.”

– Travis Dommert, OneDigital Senior Vice President of Talent

Tolerating Behaviors: The Silent Culture Killer

Tolerating “Good” Behaviors

When positive behaviors go unrecognized, employees may feel undervalued and unmotivated. The lack of recognition for good behavior can cause a decline in morale and engagement. For example, if employees consistently go beyond their duties but receive no acknowledgment, they may feel that their efforts are unnoticed and unappreciated and cease to go above and beyond, leading to disengagement and turnover.

Tolerating “Bad” Behaviors

Allowing negative behaviors to go unchecked sends a dangerous message that such conduct is acceptable. This practice can erode trust, create a toxic work environment, and lead to a culture of mediocrity. For example, if an employee consistently misses deadlines but faces no repercussions, it can signal to others that deadlines are flexible and undermine the work ethic of the team.

What behaviors or practices do you categorically reject in your organization, and why?

“As an entrepreneurial company that values relentless optimism, few things would facilitate a hard conversation or an exit faster than getting stuck in your ways, fixated on the belief that something cannot be done, or being rude and inconsiderate to others. We can all have an off day, but counter-cultural behaviors stand out. If you can’t align to putting others first and doing so with optimism, you probably won’t be here long.”

– Travis Dommert, OneDigital Senior Vice President of Talent

Tolerating Behaviors: The Consequences

Engagement levels drop as employees feel their contributions are neither valued nor noticed.

How do you reinforce your cultural values throughout your organization?

“Secureworks recently transformed from a pure-play services company to a product-led SaaS business. As we managed through tremendous change, we knew we must be equally thoughtful and intentional about our values and culture. New company, new day. Intent, action, and accountability are foundational to making anything ‘stick,’ so over the course of a year, we worked with teammates globally to assess what we value about our culture today, and what we aspired to nurture for the future. We hold ourselves accountable to that by documenting this in a shared Culture Framework, encompassing everything from the behaviors we reward and reject, to how we gather, to our values. As a mission-centric cybersecurity company, we must secure our customers – ‘there is no try.’ That’s why our Values are verbs. Together, we Imagine, Engage, Unify, Impact, and Celebrate. By writing down ‘how’ we achieve our mission – what we stand for, who we want to be, and how we show up for each other – we can climb mountains for our customers and partners while strengthening team bonds on the way to the top.”

– Wendy Thomas, Secureworks CEO

Building a Strong Culture: Actions for Leaders

Promote a culture of curiosity where employees feel comfortable asking questions and challenging assumptions. This openness to inquiry can drive innovation and continuous improvement. Encourage a culture where no question is seen as foolish and where employees are empowered to seek new knowledge and solutions.

7. Consistent Accountability

Ensure that there are clear consequences for behaviors that do not align with the organization’s values. Consistent enforcement of policies helps maintain the integrity of the culture and signals to employees that leadership is committed to upholding standards.

Culture: Are You Building or Tolerating?

The choice between building and merely tolerating culture has profound implications for an organization’s success. Leaders who actively shape their culture by rewarding positive behaviors, rejecting negative ones, and fostering open communication create a dynamic and resilient organization. In contrast, tolerating behaviors without acknowledgment or consequence leads to a stagnant and disengaged workforce.

By understanding the fundamental components of culture and taking proactive steps to shape it, leaders can create an environment where employees thrive, and the organization can achieve its strategic objectives. Building culture is an ongoing process that requires consistent effort, reflection, and adjustment. But the rewards—an engaged, motivated, and high-performing workforce—are well worth the investment.

What’s a leadership lesson you’ve learned that has had a lasting impact on your approach to managing culture?

Learn How to “Mosey.”

“I moved from Pittsburgh to Atlanta in 2006 to join the executive technology team at a large Southeastern bank. I understood the bank was looking to quickly adopt the latest digital technologies, something I had already enjoyed some success in up north, and so I came in ready to get going … and fast. At the end of my first week on the job, my Georgia-born-and-raised boss took me aside and said, ‘Lindsay, I’m gonna have to teach you how to mosey.’ He then took me out to lunch, walking and talking along the way. While we ate, he asked about my entire family, my neighborhood, my college life, and my professional journey. He then proceeded to explain how the business culture here might differ from the one I’d known in Pennsylvania. The pace might seem slower at times, he explained, because business relies on personal connections. He suggested I might be wise to slow down and have lunch with more folks first, and then I’d find business would move forward faster. It did. Ever since, I have carried this lesson about the importance of listening first for cultural cues. Whether across the US or around the world, bringing our authentic self to our team requires first understanding the best way for that self to be received.”

– Lindsay Soergel, Ratio Chief Client Officer

In the rapidly evolving landscape, the need for a strong, cohesive culture is more important than ever. As remote work and hybrid models become the norm, maintaining a unified culture presents new challenges and opportunities. Leaders must be more intentional in their efforts to build and sustain the desired culture, leveraging technology and innovative approaches to engage employees, foster collaboration, and reinforce values across all locations and levels of the organization.

So, ask yourself: Are you building your culture or merely tolerating it? The answer to this question will determine the trajectory of your organization and its ability to navigate the challenges and opportunities of the future.