Culture Starts With You

"The commitment to improve workplace culture is indeed a big, bold decision often involving public statements by leaders, significant changes in processes, and even much needed employee turnover. But most of the actual work of culture change happens in 'smaller' ways—moment by moment."

That's a statement Natalie Johnson and Rebecca Johnson convincingly support throughout Leading the Culture Journey: Elevating Everyday Actions to Create Extraordinary Workplaces. Rather than treating culture as something a company defines through values, the authors present it as something created through the everyday interactions, behaviors, and choices of everyone within an organization.

The book's most memorable contribution is its practical framework of Me Work and We Work. Me Work focuses on the personal responsibility each person has to develop greater self-awareness, regulate their energy, build meaningful connections, and demonstrate courage. We Work shifts the focus to how people learn, communicate, and grow together. The framework reinforces an important message: Regardless of title or role, everyone has influence over culture. Many companies frame culture primarily as a leadership responsibility. As a talent development professional and individual contributor, that message particularly resonated with me.

The authors challenge readers to look beyond surface-level solutions. One example describes an organization seeking stress management training when the real problem was rooted in organizational systems. TD professionals often see people position training as the solution before anyone has taken time to diagnose the issue's root cause. Johnson and Johnson note that lasting culture change requires addressing both individual behaviors and systemic challenges.

Throughout the book, the authors balance research with relatable stories, reflection questions, and actionable tools. I appreciated the neuroscience insights woven throughout the chapters, which help explain why concepts such as psychological safety, communication, and conflict management are grounded in both experience and how people's brains respond to trust, belonging, and threat.

Leading the Culture Journey is an engaging, practical guide that serves as an important reminder that companies don't build culture through initiatives alone—it is shaped daily through the choices individuals make and the way they show up for one another.