Creating a Good Culture: The Heart of Success in Business and Life
, by Jack Jones,
5 min reading time
Culture is the heartbeat of any organization. Whether you're running a small business, leading a team, or managing a family, the culture you create defines how people interact, grow, and succeed. A good culture fosters trust, encourages innovation, and builds a sense of purpose. Without it, even the best strategies and ideas can fall flat.
So, what does it take to create a good culture? It’s not about perks or slogans on the wall—it’s about values, actions, and consistent leadership. Here’s how to build a culture that thrives.
1. Define Your Core Values
Culture starts with values. What do you stand for? What kind of behavior do you want to encourage? A strong culture isn’t built on vague ideas like “teamwork” or “excellence” alone—it needs clear and actionable principles.
For example, at Fantastic Games, we embrace hustle, honesty, and humility. These aren't just words; they shape how we work, interact with customers, and make decisions. If a value doesn’t influence daily actions, it’s just a meaningless phrase.
To define your culture, ask:
What do we believe in?
How do we make decisions?
What kind of people succeed here?
Once your values are set, communicate them clearly and often. More importantly, live them. A culture is only as strong as the people who uphold it.
2. Lead by Example
Culture isn’t built from the top down with policies and mission statements—it’s modeled by leaders. If you want a culture of accountability, leaders must hold themselves accountable. If you want respect and trust, leaders must show it first.
A company that claims to value work-life balance but expects employees to answer emails at midnight sends a conflicting message. People follow what they see, not what they’re told.
As a leader, ask yourself:
Do my actions align with our values?
Am I consistent in upholding our culture?
Do I reward and recognize behaviors that reflect our culture?
Good leaders shape culture through their choices, words, and habits.
3. Hire and Retain the Right People
Your culture is only as strong as the people in it. Hiring based on culture fit is just as important as skills or experience. Look for people who not only align with your values but also enhance and strengthen your culture.
For example, if your company values innovation, you need employees who are willing to challenge ideas and experiment. If you value collaboration, someone who prefers working alone might not thrive in your environment.
Beyond hiring, culture is also about retention. A toxic or disengaged team member can do more damage than a bad hire. If someone consistently undermines your values, it’s better to let them go—even if they’re high performers. Culture is a long-term investment, and protecting it matters more than short-term gains.
4. Foster Open Communication
A great culture thrives on trust, and trust is built through transparent communication. People should feel safe to share ideas, voice concerns, and give honest feedback without fear of retaliation.
Ways to encourage open communication:
Regular Check-Ins: One-on-one meetings help employees feel heard and valued.
Clear Expectations: Misalignment leads to frustration. Define roles and responsibilities clearly.
Two-Way Feedback: Employees should be able to give feedback to leadership just as leadership gives feedback to employees.
When people feel they can speak openly, problems get solved faster, innovation flourishes, and engagement increases.
5. Recognize and Reward the Right Behaviors
Culture is reinforced through recognition. If you want people to embody your values, acknowledge and reward them when they do.
Recognition doesn’t always have to be financial. While bonuses and promotions matter, simple acts—like public praise, handwritten notes, or small tokens of appreciation—can be just as powerful.
Ask yourself:
Do I celebrate behaviors that reflect our culture?
Are employees motivated to uphold our values?
Does our reward system align with what we want to encourage?
People naturally repeat behaviors that are recognized and appreciated.
6. Adapt and Improve Over Time
A strong culture isn’t static—it evolves. As teams grow, industries change, and new challenges arise, culture must be continuously nurtured and refined.
Listen to feedback: What’s working? What’s not?
Stay true to core values: Don’t compromise the foundation, but be open to improving how you express it.
Lead through challenges: Tough times test culture. Strong values will help your team navigate difficulties with integrity.
Great cultures aren’t built overnight, and they don’t remain strong without effort. Keep working on it, and don’t be afraid to make adjustments as needed.
Conclusion
Creating a good culture isn’t about fancy perks or rigid rules—it’s about the actions and values that define your organization every day. By setting clear principles, leading by example, hiring the right people, fostering open communication, recognizing contributions, and continuously improving, you can build a culture that attracts great talent, inspires loyalty, and drives long-term success.
A good culture doesn’t just make work better—it makes life better. Whether in business or beyond, the environment you create has a lasting impact on everyone involved. So, take the time to build it intentionally, and watch how it transforms everything.
