Learning, creating, and deciding together

A few years ago, I started a new role as a startup’s first Director of People & Culture. On my first day, I was escorted to my desk, which, incidentally, was right alongside the software development team (open office vibes in full effect). I have to admit, I was excited. For once, I wasn’t tucked away in the back like Toby from The Office.

That desk was mine for the next couple of months. I have to admit, it took a little bit for the team to stop looking at me side-eyed anytime an f-bomb got dropped or a snarky comment let loose, but eventually they realized they could act “normal” around me (because HR people are people too). And I learned so much. 🧐

During that time, I got a front-row seat to what it really meant to create, break things, and learn together. The phrase I heard most often from my officemates?

“Oooh, that’s interesting.”

Every time they hit a challenge, instead of groaning or rushing to solutions, they leaned into curiosity and interest. I heard it over and over (and over) again.

The Co-Founder (an engineer by trade) was right there in the middle of it. False starts and wrong turns weren’t failures; they were just valuable data points in the effort to get the product right. The team debated, admitted when they were wrong, and when they were truly stuck, they’d simply scratch their heads and say “Interesting”. It was like pushing a “help me” button that was totally safe to use. There were high expectations but the help was there when needed.

This mindset was so deeply embraced that the company eventually made it a core value: “Get the experience right, together.” (One of my favorite values to date.)

This kind of environment is common among software development teams, but not enough People & Culture leaders get to experience it firsthand. And I have to say, I highly recommend it. 10 out of 10. ⭐️ Even after I got my own office, you’d often find me working on my laptop in the engineering area.

The takeaway? Creating a culture that values exploration, growth, and collaborative decision-making isn’t just for development teams. It’s a mindset that can (and should) be embedded across an entire organization.

How collaboration and growth drive an all-in culture

There’s a beauty to collaboration. It’s not about having all the answers yourself; it’s about creating a space where the answers emerge together. And it’s why learning and decision-making go hand in hand in an all-in culture.

Collaborative decision-making - where the cool s$$t happens

In a thriving AiC, decisions aren’t made in isolation (or top-down)…they’re built together. This doesn’t mean decisions take longer or feel chaotic (though let’s be real, sometimes they do). Instead, it means involving the right voices, at the right time, in the right way.

So, how do you make it work? Four tips to get started:

Share the “Why” behind the what - before diving into options, make sure the team understands the purpose and context. What’s at stake? Why does this decision matter?
Encourage diverse perspectives - the biggest innovations come from a beautiful mix of voices…especially the ones you don’t always hear.
Embrace “context, not control” - another borrow-worthy page from Netflix’s playbook. Provide your team with the context they need to make informed decisions, rather than controlling every detail. When people understand the bigger picture, they can act with autonomy and confidence.
Clarify who owns the final call - collaboration thrives when the boundaries are clear. Who’s got the ball? 🏀

Creating a learning culture

A culture of continuous learning fuels better collaboration and decision-making. Why? Because learning builds confidence, sharpens skills, and helps people adapt to challenges. And let’s face it…change isn’t going anywhere.

Here are some practical ways to embed learning into your culture:

👀 Make learning visible - share stories of how learning has led to team wins or personal growth.
🫗 Build “gah” into the process - celebrate lessons from failures. if you’re not making mistakes, you’re not growing.
🧑🏫 Invest in leaders who teach - equip managers (or should I say, coaches) with tools to mentor, teach, and guide.

From learning to leading

When your team learns together, they grow together. When they grow together, they lead together. And that’s the heart of an AiC: a workplace where everyone contributes, feels empowered, and is all-IN.

Next up: Join us for the 𝑪𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝑪𝒂𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒔 𝑴𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅!

Last week I spoke at Disrupt HR Houston about defending workplace civilization from zombie cultures...those companies that just go through the motions without truly thriving (or having a real impact on the business). 🧟 It’s clear that many organizations are fighting to keep their culture alive and well! That's why I am beyond thrilled to announce the launch of the 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝.

🌟 HR and People leaders, you don't have to do this alone! Imagine transforming from a culture zombie to a culture catalyst with a blueprint that aligns with business impact AND a community to support you through it.

Together with my friend (and let's face it, idol) Mindy Honcoop, MBA , founder of Agile in HR , we’re introducing a transformative 3-month experience for HR leaders ready to move from overwhelmed to orchestrator. This mastermind arose from our countless discussions about the struggles HR leaders face...expected to drive business results while nurturing the human experience, often without the necessary tools or strategic recognition.

🔹 We kick things off with a 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐞𝐛 25, in partnership with SKOR. This session will introduce the Culture Score framework and help you make the business case for culture transformation.

🔹 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤; 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡. We’ll guide a small group of HR leaders through:

✅ Human-Centered Design (HCD) for strategic problem-solving.

✅ Culture Sprints to address real organizational challenges.

✅ Peer-to-peer collaboration and mentorship for growth and success.

This isn’t just another leadership program—it’s a community of action. 💪 You’ll gain practical tools, real solutions, and a renewed sense of purpose in your work.

💡 Spaces are limited for this pilot program!

📌 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 for the free Feb 25th Culture Workshop with guest Edward Geller of SKOR for a sneak peek, and if you’re ready to make a real change, join us for the full mastermind.

Let’s move beyond survival mode and create thriving, catalytic cultures together. Who’s in? 🔥

📒 Don’t forget your all-in culture workbook!

Download your free All-In Culture Workbook for actionable steps to build a collaborative, learning-focused team today.

💖🎧🎵 Keep the vibes going

I’d love to hear how you’re building collaboration and learning into your culture. Drop me a note or schedule a discovery call—we’ll tackle it together.

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💖🎧🎵 I help companies design and activate cultures that vibe with their purpose, brand, and values.

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● Follow me, Marnie Robbins

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Want to discuss creating a strong culture or people ops function at your company?

Reach out to marnie@vibepeoplestudio.com (that's me) to schedule a complimentary 30-minute discovery session to chat.

Building an all-in culture, part 4