BDR Podcast Classic. Episode 61: Why Culture Matters
We’re diving back again into the vault with another BDR Podcast Classic! This throwback episode, recorded at the height of the 2020 pandemic, explores a crucial and ever-relevant topic: company culture.
🎧 You can listen to the full episode here, or keep reading for key takeaways and highlights from the episode.
Why Culture Matters More Than Ever
As businesses scrambled to navigate remote work and virtual hiring in 2020, leaders faced tough questions like:
- How do we maintain our culture when everyone is behind a screen?
- How can we equip our teams to thrive remotely?
In this episode, Brett Putter, CEO of CultureGene and a global expert on company culture, shared his insights into these challenges. Having collaborated with top-tier organizations like GitLab, Basecamp, and Zapier, Brett revealed actionable strategies for cultivating a thriving, high-performance culture—even in the most disruptive times.
Brett’s book, Own Your Culture, distills insights from interviews with over 50 leaders around the world. He peels back the layers of company culture and provides leaders with actionable steps and tools they can identify and embed into their own companies. Here’s some of what he uncovered, which is discussed during the podcast:
The Cost of Undefined Culture
Only 10% of companies define their culture, despite its importance. Without clarity, many organizations operate without alignment, missing opportunities to empower their teams and build a resilient foundation.
An undefined culture leads to hiring missteps, misaligned values, and workplace stress—all of which were magnified by the pandemic. Culture should inspire growth and fulfillment, not add to burnout or mental health struggles.
The Leaders Who Thrived During the Pandemic Had Defined Cultures
Companies that prioritized culture thrived under pressure. With purpose, trust, and psychological safety embedded in their DNA, these organizations seamlessly transitioned to remote work. Their aligned teams proved more resilient, collaborative, and engaged.
Rethinking Leadership in the Remote Era: Why "Osmosis" Doesn't Work Anymore
Pre-pandemic, many leaders relied on informal interactions to communicate culture—hoping employees would pick it up "by osmosis." Remote work made this approach obsolete. Leaders now must be intentional and proactive in defining and reinforcing their culture.
What Culture-Building Demands from Leaders
Building culture isn’t just a “nice-to-have” but a critical driver of success. According to Brett, leaders play four distinct roles:
- The Culture-Agnostic Leader – Ignores culture altogether.
- The Toe-Dipper – Makes initial attempts but doesn’t follow through.
- The Checkbox CEO – Sets up values but fails to integrate them.
- The Culture Champion – Embeds culture into every aspect of the organization.
True leadership requires empathy, humility, and a willingness to roll up your sleeves and engage in the messy work of culture-building.
What are the Benefits of a Defined Culture
- Attracting Talent: Especially millennials, who value purpose-driven work.
- Resilience in Change: A strong culture equips teams to navigate uncertainty.
- Unlocking Potential: Culture creates an environment where employees can thrive.
Culture is intangible and ever-evolving, making it hard to grasp and even harder to measure. But with intentionality, emotional intelligence, and consistent effort, leaders can build organizations where people love to work—and where businesses can grow sustainably.
Closing Thoughts
Work shouldn’t just be a means to an end—it should unlock potential and drive impact. The pandemic may have challenged traditional leadership, but it also gave us the tools to innovate and adapt. Whether you’re leading a remote team or building a hybrid workforce, culture is your greatest asset. Are you ready to own it?
How can you Define your Culture and Become an Aligned Leader?
Brett’s insights are a must-read for anyone looking to level up their culture game: Own Your Culture and Culture Decks Decoded. Both serve as practical guides for leaders looking to define, embed, and sustain a winning culture. Visit his website for more.
Become an Aligned Leader with Cathedral's Help
Cathedral Consulting uses Patrick Lencioni's framework from his book "The Advantage", leveraging concepts such as 1) Organizational Health and 2) Playbooks. We offer two services which can help you:
- Organizational Health Offsite
- Executive Coaching to become an "Aligned Leader"
Contact us to ask for more information. We would be happy to help!
