How to Have a Culture "Glow-Up"

Raise your hand if you’ve seen the following article title before (or something similar): “The building blocks to a strong company culture”. ✋

And now you’re probably bored already…hang with me for a sec! 

I’m not going to revisit that today. Yes, there are building blocks to culture and they’re important, but you’ve already been building your culture and whether you like it or not, the foundation of your culture is already in place. There might be a few pieces missing, renovations that need to be made, etc…. but it’s there (either in all its glory or lurking in the shadows). It started the moment you flipped on the figurative “open for business” sign. 

There’s also been one constant in all the organizations I’ve worked with; they’re concerned about preserving what they love about their culture and how they’re going to evolve it for the better over time.

Maybe it’s time for a culture glow-up. 

You’re probably wondering what the…stay with me one more minute…

Last week, my daughter ran into a classmate at the record store. The classmate said, “Well look who had a glow-up over the summer!”. My daughter blushed a bit then shrugged it off. As we left the record store, I begrudgingly embraced my age and asked my daughter what that meant. 

Here’s a definition of glow-up for all the seasoned people out there:

“A "glow-up" is a slang term used to describe a significant transformation, typically in physical appearance, that is perceived as an improvement. It's the process of turning yourself into a better version of yourself and becoming more confident, attractive, and successful.”

See how that relates to company culture? Me too! 

Now let’s take a look at some of the areas we can dig in to give our companies a culture glow-up. 

Revisit your purpose.

You started your company with a strong sense of purpose and your first few employees totally bought in. But lately, it seems like things are not quite the same and people are having a hard time connecting with the company “why”. It’s time to revisit that purpose and communicate it to the team. 

Are your values still…your values?

You probably put a lot of time and effort into your core values.. and they’re probably pretty good. As companies grow; however, so do the values that guide them. When you get around 50 employees, it’s time to review those values with your team. This time, include your team when refreshing your values if you want them to represent your best and evangelize a shared future. 

Check your communication.

What does your communication ecosystem look like? Is it helping or hindering connection among your team? Intentionally design a communication ecosystem that aligns, inspires, and empowers your team in keeping with your culture and vibe. 

Walk in your team’s shoes.

Take some time to walk through the path of your customers and employees. What is their experience? Do you understand their values and how it relates to your culture? By pinpointing the rituals that either aid or hinder the company culture during an employee's journey, we can enhance those rituals and cues to up-level our game.

Keep growing your team.

As your team grows, so will your culture. If you invest in your team's growth, they’ll invest in your culture. 

I wish I could say this is the last glow-up you’ll need to go through. When it comes to culture, it’s not a one-and-done. Or if it is…it’s because the culture sucks (sorry not sorry). The good news is, there are a lot of people like me happy to help with the refresh. Reach out on LinkedIn or sign up for my newsletters here 🔔 you’re interested in a culture glow-up (we can totally call it a refresh if glow-up’s not your thing)! 

Warm vibes, 

Marnie