Fix the culture first, then the code

You think debugging code is hard?
Try debugging your company culture.

One needs a few hours of focus and Stack Overflow;
The other needs a complete emotional overhaul, leadership humility, and often a box of tissues.

Here’s the brutal truth: a bad culture doesn’t just slow down your company; it sets it on fire, steals the fire extinguisher, and then uploads the footage on Instagram for maximum embarrassment.

Let me explain.

Code vs. Culture: Why the Latter Costs More

Code is logical.

Even if it’s messy, it still makes sense to a computer. You can rewrite it, debug it, or scrap it altogether.

But culture?
Culture is emotional.

It’s messy, unpredictable, and it influences how every single person behaves in your organization.

When your culture stinks, collaboration tanks. Teams don’t communicate, deadlines are missed, and your employees start updating their LinkedIn profiles.

A toxic culture makes people dread Monday mornings and no amount of free coffee can fix that.

Think of it this way: bad code costs you money, but bad culture costs you people.

And when good people leave, they don’t just walk away quietly, they take institutional knowledge, team morale, and sometimes even your best clients with them.

The ROI of a Good Culture

On the flip side, a strong, healthy culture is like India during a cricket match, united, vibrant, and focused on winning.

A good culture doesn’t just make your team happy; it makes them unstoppable.

When people trust each other, they collaborate better.

When they feel respected, they innovate more. And when they have a sense of ownership, they actually start caring about your company’s success more than your own MBA pitch deck does.

Plus, a great culture turns your employees into brand ambassadors.

Ever seen someone proudly post “Working with the best team ever” on Instagram?

That’s what you want. It’s free advertising, folks!

Take beehiiv for example, employees can’t wait to show off that they are a part of the hiiv.

How to Build a Culture That Doesn’t Suck

Fixing culture isn’t a one-time task, it’s an ongoing project. Here’s your cheat sheet:

1. Hire for Character, Train for Skill: That brilliant coder who thinks teamwork is for losers? Hard pass. Skills can be taught; Character cannot.
   

2. Practice What You Preach: If your mission statement says, “We value diversity,” but your team looks like a photocopy of itself, you’ve got a problem.
   

3. Have Open Communication: Create a safe space where even the interns feel comfortable calling out problems (like why the coffee machine is always broken). a.k.a Psychological Safety
   

4. Celebrate Wins (Big and Small): If someone fixed a critical bug or closed a tough deal, shout it out! Appreciation is the cheapest way to boost morale.
   

5. Invest in Growth: Provide training, mentorship, or even that MBA certification they’ve been eyeing. When people grow, your company grows.

At the end of the day, culture flows from the top.

If your leadership is toxic,
no amount of HR workshops will fix it.

Great leaders prioritize people,
not just profits.

They show up, listen, and most importantly, lead by example.

Your culture is the foundation of your brand. It’s what attracts talent, builds loyalty, and sets you apart from your competition.

Fixing your culture isn’t just a business move,
it’s the right thing to do.

If this edition made you think, laugh, or cringe a little, hit reply and let me know!

Or forward it to someone who’s still using free pizza as a cultural Band-Aid.

P.S. If you want to build a brand that people look at with their jaws dropped, I have a step-by-step guide for you on how to make that happen.

And I love you all
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