Traditional schools create a zero-sum game by celebrating one metric: grades. By celebrating a wide array of accomplishments—writing a novella, building a film—a culture shifts from competition to collaboration. One student's success no longer diminishes another's, making the entire group feel empowered.

When a norm is violated publicly, it threatens the common knowledge that the norm exists and is enforced. The resulting public punishment, like a digital-age pillory, isn't just about the transgressor; it's a signal to the entire community that the norm is still in effect, thereby restoring common knowledge.

A kind culture must be actively protected. How a company handles high-performing but unkind employees reveals its true values. Prioritizing cultural integrity by addressing or removing these individuals sends a powerful signal that kindness is non-negotiable, even at a potential short-term cost.

The actual standards of your organization are not set by posters or mission statements, but by the negative behaviors you permit. If you allow chronic tardiness or underperformance to continue without consequence, you are signaling that this is an acceptable standard for the entire team.

Instead of starting from a textbook, WCM developed its effective culture by identifying the negative traits of its original founder's regime—control, opacity, and stinginess—and deliberately doing the opposite. This 'inversion' method provides a powerful, practical template for cultural transformation.

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.

Culture isn't an abstract value statement. It's the sum of concrete behaviors you enforce, like fining partners for being late to meetings. These specific actions, not words, define your organization's true character and priorities.

Your culture isn't what's on the walls; it's defined by the worst behavior you allow. Firing a high-performing but toxic employee sends a more powerful message about your values than any mission statement. Upholding standards for everyone, especially top talent, is non-negotiable for a strong culture.

Culture isn't about values listed on a wall; it's the sum of daily, observable behaviors. To build a strong culture, leaders must define and enforce specific actions that embody the desired virtues, especially under stress. Abstract ideals are useless without concrete, enforced behaviors.