In the HBR Blog Network post, “Six Components of a Great Corporate Culture” by John Coleman, coauthor of Passion & Purpose: Stories from the Best and Brightest Young Business Leaders, says that isolating the common components of corporate culture can be the first step to building a differentiated culture and a lasting organization.

1. Vision: A great culture starts with a vision or mission statement. “When they are deeply authentic and prominently displayed, good vision statements can even help orient customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders,” writes Coleman.  

2. Values: A company's values are the core of its culture. According to Coleman, “While a vision articulates a company's purpose, values offer a set of guidelines on the behaviors and mindsets needed to achieve that vision.”

3. Practices: Values are of little importance unless they are enshrined in a company's practices.

4. People: No company can build a coherent culture without people who either share its core values or  possess the willingness and ability to embrace those values.

5. Narrative: Any organization has a unique history — a unique story. And the ability to unearth that history and craft it into a narrative is a core element of culture creation.

6. Place: Whether geography, architecture, or aesthetic design, place impacts the values and behaviors of people in a workplace.

To learn more about the components of great culture, read the complete post.