Culture By Design

Did you write your Vivid Vision last week? How big did you give yourself permission to think?Did you include a section about your culture?

Last week, we talked about creating a Vivid Vision, a clear, detailed picture of where your company is headed. (Missed it? Read it here.) Your vivid vision is all about creating the clarity that will lead to your success because you'll know exactly what it is that you are building and all your decisions can support that future reality.

However, your vision only becomes reality if your culture supports it. You can not accomplish the heights of something like the vivid vision represents, on your own. If your people don't buy into your mission and vision, it will be very difficult to build it. You'll constantly be fighting to get people to step up, to grow, to push beyond the boundaries of what's "normal", wondering why they don't care as much as you do. Not realizing that nobody will buy in, if they don't have a reason.

Most business owners think culture is something that “just happens.”

Spoiler alert: If you don’t create your culture on purpose, you’ll get one by default.

And in construction, where your people are spread far and wide with little consistent oversight, the culture you create will make or break your team. If your leadership team doesn't buy into and live the culture, no amount of posted statements or Friday BBQ's will change it.

So What Is Culture, Really?

Culture isn’t burgers on a sunny Friday afternoon, hoodies, or inspirational posters.

Culture is how your team acts when you’re not around.

It’s:

• What gets tolerated

• What gets rewarded

• How people communicate under pressure

• How problems get solved

• Whether people show up on time, every time

And it’s shaped by your values, your leadership, and your systems. That's it.

Why Culture by Design Matters

To be successful in construction you need to build an environment where people want to work. That means creating a culture that people feel connected to and that takes being mindful of what you want your culture to be and then hiring people that fit the culture. 

In this day and age when people have options as to where they want to work and don't have to put up with poor employers, having a good culture is a competitive advantage.

• It’s what keeps your best people from leaving.

• It’s what makes your crew work harder when you’re not there.

• It’s what sets your company apart when all else is equal.

Steps to Building Culture on Purpose

1️⃣ Define standards clearly: Don’t just say “we care about quality” or “we do what it takes.” Be specific. Consider the following:

• What does "taking ownership" look like on a job site?

• What does "teamwork" mean when deadlines are tight and tempers flare?

• What kind of behaviour gets rewarded?

• What’s never acceptable?

To further the idea, go beyond generic values like "integrity" or "quality". Define what those values look like in action. For example:

• “We show up 10 minutes early, ready to work.”

• “We clean up at the end of every day, even if no one is watching.”

• “We own mistakes, fix them fast, and learn from them.”

Make your culture practical, observable, and measurable. Set your standards and then enforce them. 

2️⃣ Reinforce it daily: Culture is shaped by what gets rewarded, tolerated, and corrected.

If someone cuts corners and no one says anything, that becomes your culture. If a foreman mentors a younger crew member and you publicly praise it, that becomes your culture.

You shape culture by what you acknowledge, ignore, and allow, especially in the small moments. What you tolerate is what you will get, and your people will pick up on it quickly.

3️⃣ Embed it in every system: Culture isn’t just a feeling, it needs to show up in your processes:

• Hiring – Ask behavioural questions that reflect your values

• Onboarding – Teach new hires how your team operates, not just what the job is

• Daily meetings – Reinforce standards, not just tasks

• Performance reviews – Evaluate team members based on culture, not just output

Culture is not limited to some and not others. It applies to the office and the field. Be consistent.

4️⃣ Model it at the top: If you say your company values professionalism and you show up late, skip check-ins, and fire off texts instead of clear instructions, your team will do the same.

Leadership sets the tone. As the owner or leader, you are the culture driver. If you don’t live the culture, no one else will. People don’t follow your words, they follow your behaviour. If you don't apply it always, no one will believe it. Be consistent.

Tie It to Your Vision

Your vivid vision should describe what your business achieves, and how it feels to work there. When culture and vision align, your team becomes unstoppable.

Next week, we’ll talk about how to get your team to buy in to the vision and culture you're building, so you’re not pushing a boulder uphill.

If you are ready for things to be different and could use some help implementing the ideas presented in the last several weeks, reach out to me, it's what I do. I'm here to help.