December 1, 2025 • 8 mins
New episode. Defining Company Culture. This is the master blueprint for how to actually build the culture you want, not the one your team complains about on the drive home. #leadership
Host: Paul Falavolito
Connect with me on your favorite platform: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Substack, BlueSky, Threads, LinkTree, YouTube
View my website for free leadership resources and exclusive merchandise: www.paulfalavolito.com
Books by Paul Falavolito
Host: Paul Falavolito
Connect with me on your favorite platform: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Substack, BlueSky, Threads, LinkTree, YouTube
View my website for free leadership resources and exclusive merchandise: www.paulfalavolito.com
Books by Paul Falavolito
- The 7 Minute Leadership Handbook: bit.ly/48J8zFG
- The Leadership Academy: https://bit.ly/4lnT1Pf
- The 7 Minute Leadership Survival Guide: https://bit.ly/4ij0g8y
- The Leader's Book of Secrets: http://bit.ly/4oeGzCI
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Helping leaders motivate their people to a higher level of
performance through strong human relations, team building, and golachieving. This
is the seven Minute Leadership Podcast with your host Paul Fellavledo.
Hello everyone, and welcome to the Seven Minute Leadership Podcast.
(00:25):
It's episode five forty. Today we're talking about something I've
covered many times before, but this time we're going all in.
This is the master blueprint to define your company culture.
I have done several episodes on company culture over the years,
(00:45):
but this one is the one you will want to save,
share print and hand out at your next staff meeting.
So here is the headline for today. Culture is the
personality of a company. It's how your place of work feels, operates,
treats people, celebrates, wins, handles stress, and communicates expectations. It
(01:13):
is the invisible force that either pulls people in or
pushes them out. It is what your team talks about
on their drive home. And here is the truth. Culture
is not a poster. It's not a mission statement taped
to a corkboard. It is not a slogan someone wrote
(01:33):
at a retreat and never looked at again. Culture is
your daily behavior. So let me tell you a quick story.
A few years ago, I visited an organization that had
some of the most beautiful posters I had ever seen.
They were printed on thick, glossy stalk, perfectly framed and
(01:55):
hung in the lobby. Words like integrity, courage, teamwork, and
innovation stared at every visitor. But once you walked past
the lobby, you saw the real company doors slamming, staff
snapping at each other, leaders hiding in their office, zero communication,
(02:18):
no trust, and no accountability. A company paid for posters
and called it culture. They were wrong, so today we
fixed that. Here is how you define your company culture
for real, not on paper, but in action. First, write
(02:40):
down the behaviors you want people to see from you
and your team, not words behaviors. Instead of writing teamwork,
write what teamwork looks like. For example, we answer each
other's calls, we respond quickly, We do not let someone
(03:00):
struggle alone. Those are behaviors. And second, define the non negotiables.
What are the things you simply will not tolerate in
your organization gossip, disrespect, lateless, low effort, poor communication. You
(03:22):
decide what belongs on the list. But here's the key.
Once you define them, you enforce them. Culture collapses the moment,
leaders ignore behaviors that they claimed were unacceptable. In third,
pick three areas of culture you want to improve in
(03:44):
the next sixty days. Maybe communication is inconsistent, maybe morale
is low, maybe departments are siloed. You cannot fix everything
at once, but you can fix three things with consistency.
And fourth, give your team a role in shaping the culture.
(04:06):
Ask them what they want your workplace to feel like.
Ask them what they think needs to change. People will
fight harder for a culture that they helped build. In fifth,
audit your culture the same way you audit finances. Every
two months. Sit down and review what behaviors are slipping,
(04:31):
what behaviors are improving, which leaders are aligned, which ones
are creating friction. You cannot claim culture is important if
you don't measure it. In sixth, lead the culture by example.
This is the one step everyone thinks that they're already doing,
(04:51):
but very few actually are. Every time you walk into
a room, you reinforce or weaken your culture. Every comment,
every tone, every decision teaches your team what is acceptable.
You are the thermostat, not the thermometer. You set the temperature.
(05:14):
And seventh, celebrate culture publicly. When someone demonstrates the behaviors
you want to see more of. Make it visible, a
handwritten note, a shout out at roll call, a text
message thanking them. These small recognitions reshape culture faster than
(05:36):
any meeting will. Eighth, document your culture in a simple
two page guide. Page one is what your culture is.
Page two is how you protect it. No bs, no buzzwords,
just clear guidelines. Share it at hiring orientation, coaching sessions,
(05:57):
and staff meetings. Culture is strongest when it is easily understood.
In ninth, remove anyone who refuses to align with the
culture you are building. This is the part leaders avoid,
but it is the most important one. Toxic employee can
(06:19):
undo every good thing that you're trying to build. When
you let a toxic person stay, you are telling the
good people their effort doesn't matter. And finally, number ten,
culture is a living thing. It grows, shifts, and changes
(06:39):
based on leadership. If you want a strong culture, you
update it, communicate it, reinforce it, and you protect it
all year long. If you follow this blueprint, you will
define your culture clearly enough at everyone in your organization.
(07:02):
We'll be able to describe it without hesitation. They will
feel it. They will see it, they will live it.
Culture is not an accident. Culture is built every day,
one behavior at a time. And before we wrap up,
I want to let you know that my YouTube channel
is now home to leadership content from the show. I'm
(07:23):
adding steady leadership short videos built from the strongest moments
of each episode, and I will be dropping select full
video interviews onto YouTube as well. So if YouTube is
your platform, head over to my YouTube channel and subscribe.
Link is in the description of the show my link tree,
It's on my website site and my stand store. Your
(07:45):
support there helps push this message to more leaders who
need it all over the world. This has been the
seven Minute Leadership Podcast, and I thank you for listening.
For more Paul Fello Alito podcasts, visit Paul allovalito dot com.
Helping leaders motivate their people to a higher level of
performance through strong human relations, team building, and golachieving. This
is the seven Minute Leadership Podcast with your host Paul Fellavledo.
Hello everyone, and welcome to the Seven Minute Leadership Podcast.
(00:25):
It's episode five forty. Today we're talking about something I've
covered many times before, but this time we're going all in.
This is the master blueprint to define your company culture.
I have done several episodes on company culture over the years,
(00:45):
but this one is the one you will want to save,
share print and hand out at your next staff meeting.
So here is the headline for today. Culture is the
personality of a company. It's how your place of work feels, operates,
treats people, celebrates, wins, handles stress, and communicates expectations. It
(01:13):
is the invisible force that either pulls people in or
pushes them out. It is what your team talks about
on their drive home. And here is the truth. Culture
is not a poster. It's not a mission statement taped
to a corkboard. It is not a slogan someone wrote
(01:33):
at a retreat and never looked at again. Culture is
your daily behavior. So let me tell you a quick story.
A few years ago, I visited an organization that had
some of the most beautiful posters I had ever seen.
They were printed on thick, glossy stalk, perfectly framed and
(01:55):
hung in the lobby. Words like integrity, courage, teamwork, and
innovation stared at every visitor. But once you walked past
the lobby, you saw the real company doors slamming, staff
snapping at each other, leaders hiding in their office, zero communication,
(02:18):
no trust, and no accountability. A company paid for posters
and called it culture. They were wrong, so today we
fixed that. Here is how you define your company culture
for real, not on paper, but in action. First, write
(02:40):
down the behaviors you want people to see from you
and your team, not words behaviors. Instead of writing teamwork,
write what teamwork looks like. For example, we answer each
other's calls, we respond quickly, We do not let someone
(03:00):
struggle alone. Those are behaviors. And second, define the non negotiables.
What are the things you simply will not tolerate in
your organization gossip, disrespect, lateless, low effort, poor communication. You
(03:22):
decide what belongs on the list. But here's the key.
Once you define them, you enforce them. Culture collapses the moment,
leaders ignore behaviors that they claimed were unacceptable. In third,
pick three areas of culture you want to improve in
(03:44):
the next sixty days. Maybe communication is inconsistent, maybe morale
is low, maybe departments are siloed. You cannot fix everything
at once, but you can fix three things with consistency.
And fourth, give your team a role in shaping the culture.
(04:06):
Ask them what they want your workplace to feel like.
Ask them what they think needs to change. People will
fight harder for a culture that they helped build. In fifth,
audit your culture the same way you audit finances. Every
two months. Sit down and review what behaviors are slipping,
(04:31):
what behaviors are improving, which leaders are aligned, which ones
are creating friction. You cannot claim culture is important if
you don't measure it. In sixth, lead the culture by example.
This is the one step everyone thinks that they're already doing,
(04:51):
but very few actually are. Every time you walk into
a room, you reinforce or weaken your culture. Every comment,
every tone, every decision teaches your team what is acceptable.
You are the thermostat, not the thermometer. You set the temperature.
(05:14):
And seventh, celebrate culture publicly. When someone demonstrates the behaviors
you want to see more of. Make it visible, a
handwritten note, a shout out at roll call, a text
message thanking them. These small recognitions reshape culture faster than
(05:36):
any meeting will. Eighth, document your culture in a simple
two page guide. Page one is what your culture is.
Page two is how you protect it. No bs, no buzzwords,
just clear guidelines. Share it at hiring orientation, coaching sessions,
(05:57):
and staff meetings. Culture is strongest when it is easily understood.
In ninth, remove anyone who refuses to align with the
culture you are building. This is the part leaders avoid,
but it is the most important one. Toxic employee can
(06:19):
undo every good thing that you're trying to build. When
you let a toxic person stay, you are telling the
good people their effort doesn't matter. And finally, number ten,
culture is a living thing. It grows, shifts, and changes
(06:39):
based on leadership. If you want a strong culture, you
update it, communicate it, reinforce it, and you protect it
all year long. If you follow this blueprint, you will
define your culture clearly enough at everyone in your organization.
(07:02):
We'll be able to describe it without hesitation. They will
feel it. They will see it, they will live it.
Culture is not an accident. Culture is built every day,
one behavior at a time. And before we wrap up,
I want to let you know that my YouTube channel
is now home to leadership content from the show. I'm
(07:23):
adding steady leadership short videos built from the strongest moments
of each episode, and I will be dropping select full
video interviews onto YouTube as well. So if YouTube is
your platform, head over to my YouTube channel and subscribe.
Link is in the description of the show my link tree,
It's on my website site and my stand store. Your
(07:45):
support there helps push this message to more leaders who
need it all over the world. This has been the
seven Minute Leadership Podcast, and I thank you for listening.
For more Paul Fello Alito podcasts, visit Paul allovalito dot com.
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