Episode 211: Hot Takes: Company Culture Do’s and Don’ts

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What Does Company Culture Actually Look Like?

Company culture isn’t just something big corporations need to think about. If you have employees, contractors, clients, or people you’re responsible for leading, you’re creating a culture whether you realize it or not.

In Episode 211 of The Business Reboot, we shared some of our hot takes after years of being employees, managing people, hiring people, running our own businesses, and coaching business owners doing the same.

And here’s what we’ve learned: company culture is rarely built through one big initiative. It’s built in the everyday stuff.

The Small Things Aren’t Actually Small

Sometimes employee appreciation looks like breakfast burritos.

Seriously.

Corry’s husband has been known to make breakfast for his coworkers, and it’s such a simple example of something we’ve seen over and over again: people remember when you make them feel valued.

It’s checking on someone who’s having a hard week. Saying thank you and actually meaning it. Recognizing someone’s contribution. Taking care of a client. Showing up when it matters.

None of those things replace fair pay, clear expectations, healthy boundaries, or accountability. But there is something incredibly underrated about simply being a decent human to the people who work with you.

People remember how you treated them.

Workplace Drama Doesn’t End in High School

Unfortunately, some people graduate from high school and simply relocate the mean-girl table to the office break room.

Gossip. Cliques. Passive-aggressive behavior. One person everyone has learned to tiptoe around.

And when that behavior goes unchecked, it doesn’t just affect the difficult employee. Other people start changing how they work. They stop speaking up. They avoid certain conversations. Eventually, some of the people you actually want to keep may decide they’ve had enough.

Being talented doesn’t give someone permission to make everyone else miserable.

Sometimes protecting your team means having the uncomfortable conversation you’ve been avoiding.

Workplace Boundaries Still Matter

We are big believers in being human at work. You can be funny, warm, approachable and build genuine relationships with the people around you.

But your employees do not need to know everything about your personal life.

There is a difference between being relatable and oversharing to the point that the people working for you are uncomfortable. Leaders especially need to remember that a conversation that feels casual to them may feel very different to the person who reports to them.

You can build real relationships and still have boundaries. In fact, we’d recommend it.

The Wrong Hire Can Cost You the Right People

A bad hire costs more than salary, training and severance.

The bigger question is: What is that person costing the rest of your team?

If one employee consistently creates drama, damages trust, causes tension, or makes good people dread coming to work, keeping them because they’re talented or difficult to replace can become incredibly expensive.

Taking more time to make the right hire upfront matters. And when it becomes clear you’ve made the wrong one, waiting indefinitely because the conversation is uncomfortable rarely makes the situation better.

Sometimes one wrong hire can cost you people you never wanted to lose.

Pay Attention When People Leave

Exit interviews aren’t just paperwork.

When someone leaves, you have an opportunity to learn something—especially when you start seeing the same story repeatedly.

As Corry said in the episode:

“If you wanna solve a problem, get to the root of the trend that you keep seeing over and over again.”

One resignation could be about one situation. But if several employees mention the same manager, frustration, lack of communication, or workplace issue, pay attention.

Don’t just ask why that person left.

Ask whether something keeps happening that could make the next great employee leave too.

Community Involvement Is Still Good Business

Not every business opportunity has to result in an immediate sale.

Sponsor the local event. Give the golf tournament tickets to a great client if golf isn’t your thing. Support organizations doing good work. Introduce people. Show up in the community where you do business.

Those things create relationships, and relationships have a funny way of becoming incredibly valuable over time.

Community engagement can strengthen client relationships, build visibility, create connections, and allow your company to contribute to the place where you actually live and work.

Sometimes good business really is that simple.

Does It Really Have to Be Lonely at the Top?

We also have some thoughts about the idea that success automatically becomes lonely.

There are absolutely decisions business owners and leaders have to make that everyone around them won’t understand. But leadership doesn’t require becoming untouchable.

You can grow and still build genuine relationships. You can find peers who understand the responsibility you’re carrying. You can stay connected to your community. You can surround yourself with people who are willing to tell you the truth.

You don’t have to burn every bridge on the way up and then wonder why nobody is standing beside you when you get there.

Don’t Send the Email While You’re Mad

This may be the most practical takeaway from the entire episode. 😂

When something happens and you feel angry, embarrassed, betrayed, or completely justified in losing your mind, pause before you respond.

As Corry said:

“When you are emotional and you are heated and you feel wronged, even if you are right in feeling that way, oftentimes it is best to pause a minute before you react.”

We’ve coached clients through it. We’ve coached each other through it. We’ve had to do it ourselves.

Pausing doesn’t mean avoiding a hard conversation. It means giving yourself enough time to separate what you feel like saying from what actually needs to be said.

Sometimes the best thing you can do for your business is close the laptop and come back tomorrow.

Company Culture Is Built in Ordinary Moments

That’s really the heart of this episode.

Company culture is shaped in the way people are treated, the behavior that’s tolerated, the conversations that happen, the ones everyone avoids, and the way you respond when things don’t go according to plan.

You don’t need another corporate initiative to start making it better.

Pay attention. Appreciate people. Set boundaries. Deal with problems. Listen when people tell you something isn’t working. Build real relationships. And maybe bring the breakfast burritos every once in a while.

Listen to Episode 211 of The Business Reboot Podcast: Hot Takes — Company Culture for the whole conversation.

We went off script.

We had opinions.

And yes, apparently we had a LOT to say.