The Match | Culture
The Match each week: One word. One sentence. One passage.
Word: Culture
Sentence:
The behavior of the leader becomes the culture of the team.
Passage:
You can walk into a school, company, or home and feel its culture before anyone even says a word. Culture is the energy of human relationships and how they shape the environment around us.
For me, it started with one symbolic move: relocating the principal’s office from its historic spot in the main office, where it had been since 1923, to the second floor. The second floor had nearly 70 percent of all the classrooms, and I wanted to be closer to teachers and students. That small shift sent a big message: I was part of the learning, not above it.
When I arrived our school had been on academic probation for over a decade, and there was no shortage of problems to fix. But I focused first on listening to the problems and celebrating the successes. The culture began to change in small, daily moments. Instead of asking, “Why are you late?” when a student arrived an hour behind, we began saying, “Thank you for coming today!”
I spent my days in classrooms with students and in meetings with teachers. Presence built trust. And over time, I saw that the school began to mirror the mindset of its leaders. One of my proudest moments came when I heard students advocating for what they needed from teachers in the same way teachers had learned to advocate to me, and I to my senior leaders.
Culture isn’t just about schools. Every organization, team, and family builds one through repetition—what we reward, what we tolerate, and what we model. It isn’t written on the wall or in a handbook; it’s written in how we treat each other when no one is watching.
The truth is, we are all culture builders. Every comment, every choice, every moment of presence or dismissal adds up. Whether at work, at home, or in community, the culture we live in tomorrow will be the one we practice today.
Your Turn:
Where do your people take their cues from you—your words, your reactions, or your presence? What story is your leadership writing into the culture each day?
If this resonated, share it with someone shaping culture this week.
2 Comments
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2 Comments
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on November 2, 2025 at 7:52 am
When I became the head of my department, the team had been used to being in separate spaces, cubicles and offices with large walls separating everyone. I changed this and moved all offices into one large collaboration-rich space. Conversations became project focused, team unity, empathy, understanding, and support became the norm. Bad days for one colleague turned into brief moments of support for the collective. The team’s autonomy to move about our work increased and our office-time became time that the team celebrated. From ambient music from shared playlists to wall-to-wall planning boards and work stations, the team began to not just comply but create. New strategies were developed that were more in-line with teacher feedback. Deeper work on refinement took shape. The team gelled and the work went from overwhelming to achievable and enjoyable.
Sprinkling in a few team lunches and breakfasts, a fridge constantly stocked with beverages, and a coffee station to make any barista jealous, we co-created a space to enjoy while making lasting change in our district.
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on November 2, 2025 at 10:36 am
Love this! You didn’t just rearrange space, you reshaped culture. The intentional design for connection, creativity, and joy comes through so clearly. It’s a great reminder that when we change the environment, we often change what people believe is possible.
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When I became the head of my department, the team had been used to being in separate spaces, cubicles and offices with large walls separating everyone. I changed this and moved all offices into one large collaboration-rich space. Conversations became project focused, team unity, empathy, understanding, and support became the norm. Bad days for one colleague turned into brief moments of support for the collective. The team’s autonomy to move about our work increased and our office-time became time that the team celebrated. From ambient music from shared playlists to wall-to-wall planning boards and work stations, the team began to not just comply but create. New strategies were developed that were more in-line with teacher feedback. Deeper work on refinement took shape. The team gelled and the work went from overwhelming to achievable and enjoyable.
Sprinkling in a few team lunches and breakfasts, a fridge constantly stocked with beverages, and a coffee station to make any barista jealous, we co-created a space to enjoy while making lasting change in our district.
Love this! You didn’t just rearrange space, you reshaped culture. The intentional design for connection, creativity, and joy comes through so clearly. It’s a great reminder that when we change the environment, we often change what people believe is possible.