Company-Cultured.
I’ve been an active participant in VaynerMedia’s culture since the very beginning. & while our culture has certainly evolved over time, as is natural with growing from 4 to 800 & opening several satellite offices along the way, it has always been core to our company.
It’s something we’re proud of, & it comes up again & again — from interviewing candidates who mention it as a reason they want to work for Vayner, to exit interviews when people talk about it amongst the things they’ll miss most. (& no, Vayner’s not perfect. & no, it’s not for everybody.)
With only three weeks left, I thought I’d share just some of the things I’ve learned along the way about building & fostering culture.
Before I start,
- these are my opinions & while they are surely in some way inspired by Gary & Claude, they are not all necessarily reflective of their opinions. Who knows. Maybe they are. But I didn’t run this article by them before I posted it.
- Just because I write these things does not mean that Vayner hits on all of them perfectly all the time. Again, Vayner’s not perfect. No company is perfect.
OK. Here we go.
1. Culture is just a word.
I read a rad article recently that started with a powerful message:
Culture is like the wind. It is invisible, yet its effect can be seen and felt. When it is blowing in your direction, it makes for smooth sailing. When it is blowing against you, everything is more difficult.
Company culture is about behaviors & actions, not words or discussions. We could talk all day about culture but unless you feel it, what does it matter?
Intent needs execution.
2. Culture is top-down. Culture is bottom-up.
Culture begins with strong leadership, & it ends with everyone else.
Leaders build culture. They set the example. They are available. They communicate, honestly & openly. The team fosters culture. They contribute to it, they bring their passions to work. They engage. They set the example, too.
It’s kind of like the “trash on the ground” theory. If you see a piece of trash on the ground, & let it go, the next person is likely to do the same.
Vayner is lucky to have been founded by two strong cultural leaders. But as the company has grown, people have had to step up.
Your culture is your people.
3. Culture should, & needs to change.
If your culture is your people, & as you grow your people grow & change, then your culture needs to change. Time & scale & distance & the world around us all contribute to how culture changes, too. It’s only natural.
4. Always available, never required.
Have to give credit to my girl Shirlee for that one. GV’s way of saying it would be, “it’s not kool-aid, it’s water.” At the end of the day, culture should just exist & it should be opt-in. No one’s starting a cult over here.
5. Culture ≠ a series of perks.
Cold brew coffee & kombucha out of a tap are pretty sweet. & so is a flavored seltzer machine. But culture is about doing good work with good people.
6. Sherpas, not dictators.
Dannie V. & I are the only two people at the company with “culture” in our titles, & mine infers that I in some way dictate it. But what we are really here to do is to help guide it, & to allow people to turn ideas into reality. Every company needs that.
7. It requires effort, but shouldn’t feel that way.
Culture takes a lot of work. Particularly as you grow. But it shouldn’t be a burden. You spend most of your life at work — why wouldn’t you want to put in the effort? At the end of the day, ask yourself,
“What type of a company do I want to work for, & what can I do to help make it so?”
8. Happy people = happy results.
Lastly, there is all this talk about company culture these days & there is a lot of fluff. But good culture means happy employees. & happy employees feel more connected with the logo, more dedicated to their work, & more attached to the results.
After eight years, I’m leaving VaynerMedia. I wrote about it here.
My last day is not until Friday, July 28th. Until then, I’m focused squarely on Vayner. After that, well…
Read a great book recently? Listened to a stellar podcast? Working on something cool? Just want to talk? Hit me up. I’d love to connect… listen… share… help. How can I help?
[sam@samtaggart.com on email. @gosam pretty much everywhere else.]
Much love.
