As a company grows, new hires lack the context of early struggles. To preserve the original culture, formally document and share stories of early failures, pivots, and near-death experiences during onboarding. This reminds everyone of the core principles that led to success.

A GSB receptionist's casual chats with alumni revealed the program's long-term "fine wine" value—a strategic insight that formal surveys often miss. This shows how empowering frontline employees to listen can uncover profound user truths.

A former dean recalls being actively "tutored" by the school's foundational figures on its culture and values. This shows that preserving a strong institutional identity requires deliberate, personal mentorship from one generation of leadership to the next, not just passive absorption from written manuals or traditions.

Culture isn't created by top-down declarations. It emerges from the informal stories employees share with each other before meetings or at lunch. These narratives establish community norms and create "shared wisdom" that dictates behavior far more effectively than any official communication from leadership.

A 52-year veteran professor argues that amid radical demographic and curricular shifts at Stanford GSB, the two constants are the physical campus and its "forward-looking vibe." This suggests an institution's sense of place and a consistent ethos can provide stability and continuity during profound transformation.

The GSB enhances the traditional case study method by first having students analyze a case, like DoorDash. Then, the actual protagonist—the founder and key investors—are brought into the classroom. This allows students to directly challenge their assumptions and engage with the real-world complexities behind the decisions.

The GSB's enduring value lies in its resistance to offering 'one size fits all war stories.' Instead, it focuses on teaching analytical instrumentation and fundamental social science. This approach equips leaders to solve novel future problems, like harnessing AI, rather than just applying solutions from the past.

Stanford GSB's iconic "Change lives..." tagline wasn't created by executives or an agency. It was forged in a workshop with staff from admissions, fundraising, and marketing, ensuring authentic, organization-wide buy-in from its inception.

To prevent values from being just words on a wall, create a running list of specific, concrete anecdotes where employees demonstrated a value in action. This makes the culture tangible, tracks adoption, highlights who is truly living the values, and provides a clear model for others to follow.