You Can’t ‘Taco Tuesday’ Your Way to Culture
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Culture isn’t built with cappuccino machines, ping pong tables, or tacos.
But week after week, I see well-meaning leaders obsess over ambiance, perks, and policies while ignoring the only thing that actually shapes culture: how people feel working for you.
If we want to build a culture worth rallying around, we have to reach for connection, not just comfort.
Here are five things to stop doing and five that turn “just a job” into this is where I belong.
And if you’re not the boss? Don’t scroll past.
Maybe you’re the team glue. The go-to person. The one who sees what’s broken and wants to help fix it. But without the title or the power, it’s easy to feel like you don’t get to shape the culture.
You do.
Because culture isn’t created by one big decision. It’s created in a hundred small moments. So whether you lead the team or are the team, here’s what to do instead:
I.
Safety doesn’t come from saying “my door is always open.” It comes from proving you’ll listen.
When people don’t feel heard, they stop offering ideas and start protecting themselves. Psychological safety isn’t a memo. It’s built through everyday acts of real listening.
Try this (for leaders):
Ask your team: What’s ONE THING you wish leadership understood better? Then listen without jumping right to the fix.
Try this (for influencers):
If a teammate seems off, don’t ignore it. Say something simple like: “Rough day?” or “You good?” Then just hold the space. Small check-ins create big trust over time.
II.
Mission statements are meaningless without alignment.
A poster on the wall doesn’t motivate. What motivates is knowing why our work matters.
When people can’t connect their daily grind to purpose, they disengage.
Try this (for leaders):
Ask each team member: What impact do you want your work to have? Then show how their role makes that possible.
Try this (for influencers):
When a task feels pointless, speak up: “Can we connect this back to the big picture?” You might be the one who helps the whole team refocus.
III.
Mood boards ≠ morale.
You can’t paint over confusion. When people don’t understand a decision, they fill in the blanks and usually get it wrong.
Try this (for leaders):
Stop leading with the what. Lead with the why, especially during change. “Here’s what’s changing, and here’s why it matters to you.”
Try this (for influencers):
When things feel off, ask in the meeting: “Can we pause… what’s the goal here?” You’re not being difficult. You’re making it make sense.
IV.
Perks don’t replace presence.
Leadership absence kills culture. When executives are MIA during change, people feel abandoned.
Try this (for leaders):
Show up. Host a 30-minute “Ask Me Anything” with your team each week. Consistency > perfection.
Try this (for influencers):
Invite a skip-level leader to coffee or Slack them a curious question. Presence isn’t just top-down. It’s something you can ask for.
V.
You don’t need more feedback tools. You need more follow-through.
Leaders say “we care what you think” and then… nothing. That’s worse than saying nothing at all.
Try this (for leaders):
When you ask for input, respond publicly: “Here’s what we heard. Here’s what we’re doing.” Action builds trust.
Try this (for influencers):
If you’ve given feedback and nothing happened, follow up respectfully: “Curious if any decisions came from that last pulse check?” Persistence signals care.
Your Unignorable Move
Culture isn’t a committee decision.
It’s not a vibes check.
It’s a thousand invisible signals about what matters here and how we treat each other.
You don’t need a reorg or a rebrand to shift it. You need a few bold people (with or without titles) to go first.
Lead with curiosity. Speak with care. Be the proof that connection still matters.
That’s how you make culture real… and unignorable.
Your coach,
Chris
P.S. Want to stop guessing at culture and start leading it?
Join me for a short, high-impact Zoom session:
Culture by Design: How to Build Trust, Clarity, and Commitment.
I’ll walk through the exact moves that aligned, healthy teams use to create the culture people crave based on our Leadership Operating System. It’s tactical. It’s evidence-based. And it works.
Want in? Just email me at chris@peoplebeforethings.co (not .com) with “Taco Tuesday” and I’ll send a calendar poll.
